Sun-powered CO2 transformation: TBE-Y photocatalyst's remarkable selectivity for solar-induced HCOOH.

• This manuscript focuses on how structural ordering can facilitate the formation of formic at ultra-low potential, which is a critical challenge via photocatalysis. • Human dependency on fossil fuels not only spikes the CO2 levels in the atmosphere but also depletes the limited energy resources. • The photocatalyst-enzyme integrated artificial system emerged as a benchmark for CO2 fixation solving both the energy crisis and carbon emission simultaneously. • Herein a TBE-Y photocatalyst designed by coupling triptycene (T) with eosin-Y (EY) through friedel craft reaction shows excellent solar light harvesting property, high molar extinction coefficient, and appropriate band-gap. • The as-synthesized 3D polymeric TBE-Y photocatalyst exhibits high NADH regeneration (78.77%) which when consecutively coupled with enzyme (formate dehydrogenase) via electron mediator produces HCOOH from CO2 in high yield. Carbon dioxide, one of the primary greenhouse gasses leading to global warming, ocean acidification, and climate change is an obnoxious concern. Human dependency on fossil fuels not only spikes the CO 2 level but also depletes the limited energy resources. The horrendous impact of carbon footprint has made the reduction of CO 2 into solar fuel an indispensable task. The photocatalyst-enzyme integrated artificial system has emerged as a benchmark for CO 2 fixation solving both the energy crisis and carbon emission simultaneously. Herein a TBE-Y photocatalyst designed by coupling triptycene (T) with eosin-Y (EY) through Friedel Craft reaction shows excellent solar light harvesting property, high molar extinction coefficient, and appropriate band-gap. The as-synthesized 3D polymeric TBE-Y photocatalyst exhibits high NADH regeneration (78.77%) which when consecutively coupled with enzyme (formate dehydrogenase) via electron mediator produces HCOOH (189.34 μmol) from CO 2 in high yield in 2 h. The graphical abstract shows the formation and regeneration of HCOOH from CO 2 and NADH respectively through TBE-Y photocatalyst under solar light irradiation. The TBE-Y photocatalyst was formed through Friedel craft reaction by the coupling of Triptycene and Eosin-Y, which is utilized for HCOOH formation from CO 2 in the presence of Solar light. Formic acid and NADH regeneration have a wide application in pharmaceutical companies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]