biostudies-literatureSong RNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)10542https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12658224biostudies-literatureUnknown16(1)Light-driven methanol synthesis from CO₂ provides a sustainable fuel source and approach to carbon neutralization. Mimicking natural photosynthesis could improve gas-solid photocatalytic efficiency, but it remains highly challenging due to the absence of well-organized mass and charge transfer networks in artificial materials. Herein, we report a chlorophyll-mimicking, nano-pigment nickel gallium oxide, which facilitates discrete light/dark reactions and proton-mediated charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ to methanol. This nano-pigment features surface frustrated Lewis pairs, enabling heterolytic hydrogen splitting into H^- and H⁺. The H^- acts analogously to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in naNature communicationsA nickel gallium oxide chlorophyll mimic for green methanol synthesis.PMC1265822452172221Wang AMacNeil EZhu ZQiu CFu YCai GWang LDuchesne PNGuo JTountas AAChen ZSong RAspuru-Guzik AAn XSingh CVQu WZhou JLoh JYYLi CMohan AXu CHe LYan XViasus CJLi ZAi CZhang XHan JXu YFJing DYe JOzin GAfalseA nickel gallium oxide chlorophyll mimic for green methanol synthesis.Light-driven methanol synthesis from CO₂ provides a sustainable fuel source and approach to carbon neutralization. Mimicking natural photosynthesis could improve gas-solid photocatalytic efficiency, but it remains highly challenging due to the absence of well-organized mass and charge transfer networks in artificial materials. Herein, we report a chlorophyll-mimicking, nano-pigment nickel gallium oxide, which facilitates discrete light/dark reactions and proton-mediated charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ to methanol. This nano-pigment features surface frustrated Lewis pairs, enabling heterolytic hydrogen splitting into H^- and H⁺. The H^- acts analogously to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in na2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Nov2026-06-05T20:27:51.566Z2026-05-21T03:12:31.274ZS-EPMC126582244129836710.1038/s41467-025-65560-y