Imidazolium-modification enhances photocatalytic CO2 reduction on ZnSe quantum dots

Colloidal photocatalysts can utilize solar light for the conversion of CO₂ to carbon-based fuels, but controlling the product selectivity for CO₂ reduction remains challenging, in particular in aqueous solution. Here, we present an organic surface modification strategy to tune the product selectivity of colloidal ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) towards photocatalytic CO₂ reduction even in the absence of transition metal co-catalysts. Besides H₂, imidazolium-modified ZnSe QDs evolve up to 2.4 mmol_CO g_ZnSe⁻¹ (TON_QD > 370) after 10 h of visible light irradiation (AM 1.5G, λ > 400 nm) in aqueous ascorbate solution with a CO-selectivity of up to 20%. This represents a four-fold increase in CO-formation yield and 13-fold increase in CO-selectivity compared to non-functionalized ZnSe QDs. The binding of the thiolated imidazolium ligand to the QD surface is characterized quantitatively using ¹H-NMR spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry, revealing that a subset of 12 to 17 ligands interacts strongly with the QDs. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals an influence of the ligand on the intrinsic charge carrier dynamics through passivating Zn surface sites. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the imidazolium capping ligand plays a key role in stabilizing the surface-bound *CO₂⁻ intermediate, increasing the yield and selectivity toward CO production. Overall, this work unveils a powerful tool of using organic capping ligands to modify the chemical environment on colloids, thus enabling control over the product selectivity within photocatalyzed CO₂ reduction.

A photocatalyst system consisting of ZnSe quantum dots modified with a thiolated imidazolium capping ligand for visible light-driven reduction of aqueous CO₂ to CO is reported without the need for a metal complex co-catalyst.     

Engineering a Self-Grown TiO2/Ti-MOF Heterojunction with Selectively Anchored High-Density Pt Single-Atomic Cocatalysts for Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution

A photocatalyst TiO₂/Ti-BPDC-Pt is developed with a self-grown TiO₂/Ti-metal–organic framework (MOF) heterojunction, i.e., TiO₂/Ti-BPDC, and selectively anchored high-density Pt single-atomic cocatalysts on Ti-BPDC for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This intimate heterojunction, growing from the surface pyrolytic reconstruction of Ti-BPDC, works in a direct Z-scheme, efficiently separating electrons and holes. Pt is selectively anchored on Ti-BPDC by ligands and is found in the form of single atoms with loading up to 1.8 wt %. The selective location of Pt is the electron-enriched domain of the heterojunction, which further enhances the utilization of the separated electrons. This tailored TiO₂/Ti-BPDC-Pt shows a significantly enhanced activity of 12.4 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ compared to other TiO₂- or MOF-based catalysts. The structure-activity relationship further proves the balance of two simultaneously exposed domains of heterojunctions is critical to fulfilling this kind of catalyst.     

Directed Electron Delivery from a Pb-Free Halide Perovskite to a Co(II) Molecular Catalyst Boosts CO2 Photoreduction Coupled with Water Oxidation

The development of high-performance photocatalytic systems for CO₂ reduction is appealing to address energy and environmental issues, while it is challenging to avoid using toxic metals and organic sacrificial reagents. We here immobilize a family of cobalt phthalocyanine catalysts on Pb-free halide perovskite Cs₂AgBiBr₆ nanosheets with delicate control on the anchors of the cobalt catalysts. Among them, the molecular hybrid photocatalyst assembled by carboxyl anchors achieves the optimal performance with an electron consumption rate of 300±13 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for visible-light-driven CO₂-to-CO conversion coupled with water oxidation to O₂, over 8 times of the unmodified Cs₂AgBiBr₆ (36±8 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹), also far surpassing the documented systems (<150 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). Besides the improved intrinsic activity, electrochemical, computational, ex-/in situ X-ray photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopic results indicate that the electrons photogenerated at the Bi atoms of Cs₂AgBiBr₆ can be directionally transferred to the cobalt catalyst via the carboxyl anchors which strongly bind to the Bi atoms, substantially facilitating the interfacial electron transfer kinetics and thereby the photocatalysis.     

HKUST-1 Derived Hollow C-Cu2−xS Nanotube/g-C3N4 Composites for Visible-Light CO2 Photoreduction with H2O Vapor

As the main component of syngas, reducing CO₂ to CO with high selectivity through photocatalysis could provide a sustainable way to alleviate energy shortage issues. Developing a photocatalytic system with low cost and high performance that is environmentally friendly is the ultimate goal towards CO₂ photoreduction. Herein, an efficient and economic three-component heterojunction photocatalyst is designed and fabricated for converting CO₂ to CO in the absence of organic sacrificial agents. The heterojunction is made of Cu_2−xS nanotubes coated with a carbon layer (C-Cu_2−xS) and g-C₃N₄. By using the classical MOF material HKUST-1 as a precursor, hollow tubular-like metal sulfides (C-Cu_2−xS) with carbon coating were synthesized and further loaded on g-C₃N₄, forming a three-component heterojunction C-Cu_2−xS@g-C₃N₄. The carbon coat in C-Cu_2−xS@g-C₃N₄ acts as an electron reservoir, which facilitates electron–hole pair separation. The optimized C-Cu_2−xS@g-C₃N₄ acted as a photocatalyst in CO₂ reduction with a high reactivity of 1062.6 μmol g⁻¹ and selectivity of 97 %. Compared with bare g-C₃N₄ (158.4 μmol g⁻¹) and C-Cu_2−xS, the reactivity is nearly 7 and 23-fold enhanced and this CO generation rate is higher than most of the reported Cu₂S or g-C₃N₄ composites under similar conditions. The prominent activity may result from enhanced light adsorption and effective charge separation. This work might open up an alternative method for the design and fabrication of high-performance and low-cost photocatalysts for efficiently and durably converting CO₂ to CO with high selectivity.     

TiO2纳米棒和CdSe纳米棒复合膜与聚3-甲基噻吩杂化太阳能电池研究

采用水热法制备了TiO₂和CdSe两种纳米棒材料, 将两种纳米材料制备成TiO₂/CdSe复合纳米棒膜电极, 并在复合膜上电化学聚合生成聚3-甲基噻吩poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMeT), 研究了其光电化学性能. 实验表明, 当TiO₂与CdSe的物质的量复合比为2∶1, PMeT的聚合时间为40 s, 在电极电势为－0.2 V下ITO/TiO₂/CdSe/PMeT电极光电转换效率(IPCE)达到56%, 对比ITO/TiO₂/CdSe复合膜电极在长波方向的光电转换效率明显提高, 光吸收截止波长发生了明显的红移. 同时以ITO/TiO₂/CdSe/PMeT组装了简易的杂化太阳电池, 初步研究了光电池性能, 光电池总效率为0.08%, V_oc＝0.4 V, j_sc＝0.61 mA/cm², ff＝0.33.     

Facilely anchoring Cu2O nanoparticles on mesoporous TiO2 nanorods for enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction through efficient charge transfer

Semiconductor-employed photocatalytic CO₂ reduction has been regarded as a promising approach for environmental-friendly conversion of CO₂ into solar fuels. Herein, TiO₂/Cu₂O composite nanorods have been successfully fabricated by a facile chemical reduction method and applied for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. The composition and structure characterization indicates that the Cu₂O nanoparticles are coupled with TiO₂ nanorods with an intimate contact. Under light illumination, all the TiO₂/Cu₂O composite nanorods enhance the photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. In particular, the TiO₂/Cu₂O-15% sample exhibits the highest CH₄ yield (1.35 µmol g^-1 h^-1) within 4 h irradiation, and it is 3.07 and 15 times higher than that of pristine TiO₂ nanorods and Cu₂O nanoparticles, respectively. The enhanced photoreduction capability of the TiO₂/Cu₂O-15% is attributed to the intimate construction of Cu₂O nanoparticles on TiO₂ nanorods with formed p-n junction to accelerate the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This work provides a reference for rational design of a p-n heterojunction photocatalyst for CO₂ photoreduction.     

Quantum dots co-sensitized solar cells: a new assembly process of CdS/CdSe linked to mesoscopic TiO2-nano-SiO2 hybrid film

A green and simple method was found to prepare CdS/CdSe co-sensitized photoelectrodes for the quantum dots sensitized solar cells application. All the assembly processes of CdS and CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were carried out in aqueous solution. CdS and CdSe QDs were sequentially assembled onto TiO₂-nano-SiO₂ hybrid film by two steps. Firstly, CdS QDs were deposited in situ over TiO₂-nano-SiO₂ hybrid film by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) process in water. Secondly, using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) as a linker molecule, the pre-prepared colloidal CdSe QDs (~3.0 nm) dissolved in water was linked onto the TiO₂-nano-SiO₂ hybrid film by the self-assembled monolayer technique with the mode of dropwise. The mode is simple and advantageous to saving materials and time. The results show that the photovoltaic performance of the cells is enhanced with the increase of SILAR cycles for TiO₂-nano-SiO₂/CdS photoelectrode. The power conversion efficiency of 2.15 % was achieved using the co-sensitization photoelectrode prepared by using 6 SILAR cycles of CdS plus CdSe (TiO₂-nano-SiO₂/CdS(6)/CdSe) under the illumination of one sun (AM1.5, 100 mW/cm²).     

Dual-functional photocatalysis boosted by electrostatic assembly of porphyrinic metal-organic framework heterojunction composites with CdS quantum dots

Photocatalytic dual-functional reaction under visible light irradiation represents a sustainable development strategy. In detail, H₂ production coupled with benzylamine oxidation can remarkably lower the cost by replacing sacrificial agents. In this work, Cd S quantum dots(Cd S QDs) were successfully loaded onto the surface of a porphyrinic metal-organic framework(Pd-PCN-222) by the electrostatic selfassembly at room temperature. The consequent Pd-PCN-222/CdS heterojunction composites...     

Hydrocarbon production by addition of Cu-ZnO on g-C3N4 for CO2 conversion

In this study, copper/zinc oxide/graphite nitrogen carbide (Cu/ZnO/g-C₃N₄) is prepared using a hydrothermal method and applied as a photocatalyst for CO₂ photoreduction. The morphology and structural properties of the obtained Cu/ZnO/g-C₃N₄ are systematically characterized through X-ray powder diffraction, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electronic microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. A 3 wt% Cu/ZnO/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst exhibits high CH₄ (40.7 μmol g⁻¹ hr⁻¹), CO (65.1 μmol g⁻¹ hr⁻¹), and CH₃OH (92.5 μmol g⁻¹ hr⁻¹) production rates, which are 38.3, 77.1, and 58.1 fold higher than the pure g-C₃N₄. The production rate is higher than those for bulk g-C₃N₄ and ZnO/g-C₃N₄. Finally, the reaction mechanism of Cu/ZnO/C₃N₄ is proposed in this study.     

Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Redox Reaction by Charge Separation in SnO2/ZnSe(N2H4)0.5 Heterojunction Nanocatalysts

In this work, environmentally friendly photocatalysts with attractive catalytic properties are reported that have been prepared by introducing SnO₂ quantum dots (QDs) directly onto ZnSe(N₂H₄)_0.5 substrates to induce advantageous charge separation. The SnO₂/ZnSe(N₂H₄)_0.5 nanocomposites could be easily synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal process. Owing to the absence of capping ligands, the attached SnO₂ QDs displayed superior photocatalytic properties, generating many exposed reactive surfaces. Moreover, the addition of a specified amount of SnO₂ boosted the visible-light photocatalytic activity; however, the presence of excess SnO₂ QDs in the substrate resulted in aggregation and deteriorated the performance. The spectroscopic data revealed that the SnO₂ QDs act as a photocatalytic mediator and enhance the charge separation within the type II band alignment system of the SnO₂/ZnSe(N₂H₄)_0.5 heterojunction photocatalysts. The separated charges in the heterojunction nanocomposites promote radical generation and react with pollutants, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic performance.     

Selective Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO Mediated by Silver Single Atoms Anchored on Tubular Carbon Nitride

Artificial photosynthesis is a promising strategy for converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) into fuels and value-added chemical products. However, photocatalysts usually suffered from low activity and product selectivity due to the sluggish dynamic transfer of photoexcited charge carriers. Herein, we describe anchoring of Ag single atoms on hollow porous polygonal C₃N₄ nanotubes (PCN) to form the photocatalyst Ag₁@PCN with Ag−N₃ coordination for CO₂ photoreduction using H₂O as the reductant. The as-synthesized Ag₁@PCN exhibits a high CO production rate of 0.32 μmol h⁻¹ (mass of catalyst: 2 mg), a high selectivity (>94 %), and an excellent stability in the long term. Experiments and density functional theory (DFT) reveal that the strong metal–support interactions (Ag−N₃) favor *CO₂ adsorption, *COOH generation and desorption, and accelerate dynamic transfer of photoexcited charge carriers between C₃N₄ and Ag single atoms, thereby accounting for the enhanced CO₂ photoreduction activity with a high CO selectivity. This work provides a deep insight into the important role of strong metal–support interactions in enhancing the photoactivity and CO selectivity of CO₂ photoreduction.     

Floating ZnO QDs-Modified TiO2/LLDPE Hybrid Polymer Film for the Effective Photodegradation of Tetracycline under Fluorescent Light Irradiation: Synthesis and Characterisation

In this work, mesoporous TiO₂-modified ZnO quantum dots (QDs) were immobilised on a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) polymer using a solution casting method for the photodegradation of tetracycline (TC) antibiotics under fluorescent light irradiation. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were used to investigate the physicochemical properties of the floating hybrid polymer film catalyst (8%-ZT@LLDPE). The highest removal (89.5%) of TC (40 mg/L) was achieved within 90 min at pH 9 due to enhanced water uptake by the LDDPE film and the surface roughness of the hybrid film. The formation of heterojunctions increased the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The QDs size-dependent quantum confinement effect leads to the displacement of the conduction band potential of ZnO QDs to more negative energy values than TiO₂. The displacement generates more reactive species with higher oxidation ability. The highly stable film photocatalyst can be separated easily and can be repeatedly used up to 8 cycles without significant loss in the photocatalytic ability. The scavenging test indicates that the main species responsible for the photodegradation was O₂^●−. The proposed photodegradation mechanism of TC was demonstrated in further detail based on the intermediates detected by LC-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (LC/TOF-MS).     

Electronic Interactions on Platinum/(Metal-Oxide)-Based Photocatalysts Boost Selective Photoreduction of CO2 to CH4

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In₂O₃), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In₂O₃ photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to methane (CH₄) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In₂O₃ with electronic Pt−In₂O₃ interactions, with CH₄ selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In₂O₃ without electronic Pt−In₂O₃ interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt-(metal-oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO₂ to CH₄ also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt-(metal-oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron-hole pairs and convert CO₂ into CO₂^δ−, which can be easily hydrogenated into CH₄ via a CO₂^δ−→HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH₄ path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO₂ to CH₄. This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO₂.     

Ultrasensitive and Selective Detection of Cd(II) Using ZnSe‐Xanthan Gum Complex/CNT Modified Electrodes

This work describes for the first time the employment of water soluble GSH‐ZnSe QDs stabilized by XG and MWCNT for electrode modification in the detection of Cd ions in a highly sensitive and selective manner resulting from the unique structure and surface chemistry of the used QDs. The surface of a glassy carbon (GC) electrode was modified through casting a thin layer of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) followed by a complex layer of ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) stabilized by xanthan gum (XG). Due to the electrocatalytic properties of MWCNT and electroanalytical performance of ZnSe‐XG complex, the new modified electrode significantly improves the sensitivity and selectivity of Cd(II) detection and exhibits enhanced performance in comparison to bare GC, ZnSe/GC and ZnSe/MWCNT/GC electrodes. Strong interactions between ZnSe QDs and XG resulting from hydrogen bonding and complexing association led to stabilization of ZnSe QDs and higher affinity towards Cd(II) ions adsorption compared to a ZnSe QDs film alone. The modified electrode showed linear response in a wide concentration range from 100 nM to 5 μM (R²=0.9967) along with a high sensitivity of 156.6 nA ⋅ mol⁻¹ ⋅ L⁻¹ and a low detection limit of 20 nM. The electrode shows high selectivity to Cd with negligible interference from other metal ions and salts.     

Coupling Benzylamine Oxidation with CO2 Photoconversion to Ethanol over a Black Phosphorus and Bismuth Tungstate S-Scheme Heterojunction

Photoconversion of CO₂ and H₂O into ethanol is an ideal strategy to achieve carbon neutrality. However, the production of ethanol with high activity and selectivity is challenging owing to the less efficient reduction half-reaction involving multi-step proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), a slow C−C coupling process, and sluggish water oxidation half-reaction. Herein, a two-dimensional/two-dimensional (2D/2D) S-scheme heterojunction consisting of black phosphorus and Bi₂WO₆ (BP/BWO) was constructed for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction coupling with benzylamine (BA) oxidation. The as-prepared BP/BWO catalyst exhibits a superior photocatalytic performance toward CO₂ reduction, with a yield of 61.3 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for ethanol (selectivity of 91 %).In situ spectroscopic studies and theoretical calculations reveal that S-scheme heterojunction can effectively promote photogenerated carrier separation via the Bi−O−P bridge to accelerate the PCET process. Meanwhile, electron-rich BP acts as the active site and plays a vital role in the process of C−C coupling. In addition, the substitution of BA oxidation for H₂O oxidation can further enhance the photocatalytic performance of CO₂ reduction to C₂H₅OH. This work opens a new horizon for exploring novel heterogeneous photocatalysts in CO₂ photoconversion to C₂H₅OH based on cooperative photoredox systems.     

Synergizing Electron and Heat Flows in Photocatalyst for Direct Conversion of Captured CO2

We report a ternary hybrid photocatalyst architecture with tailored interfaces that boost the utilization of solar energy for photochemical CO₂ reduction by synergizing electron and heat flows in the photocatalyst. The photocatalyst comprises cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) molecules assembled on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are decorated with nearly monodispersed cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs). The CdS QDs absorb visible light and generate electron-hole pairs. The CNTs rapidly transfer the photogenerated electrons from CdS to CoPc. The CoPc molecules then selectively reduce CO₂ to CO. The interfacial dynamics and catalytic behavior are clearly revealed by time-resolved and in situ vibrational spectroscopies. In addition to serving as electron highways, the black body property of the CNT component can create local photothermal heating to activate amine-captured CO₂, namely carbamates, for direct photochemical conversion without additional energy input.     

Reversible Switching CuII/CuI Single Sites Catalyze High-rate and Selective CO2 Photoreduction

Herein, we first design a model of reversible redox-switching metal–organic framework single-unit-cell sheets, where the abundant metal single sites benefit for highly selective CO₂ reduction, while the reversible redox-switching metal sites can effectively activate CO₂ molecules. Taking the synthetic Cu-MOF single-unit-cell sheets as an example, synchrotron-radiation quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectra unravel the reversible switching Cu^II/Cu^I single sites initially accept photoexcited electrons and then donate them to CO₂ molecules, which favors the rate-liming activation into CO₂^δ−, verified by in situ FTIR spectra and Gibbs free energy calculations. As an outcome, Cu-MOF single-unit-cell sheets achieve near 100 % selectivity for CO₂ photoreduction to CO with a high rate of 860 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ without any sacrifice reagent or photosensitizer, where both the activity and selectivity outperform previously reported photocatalysts evaluated under similar conditions.     

Visible‐Light‐Driven CO2 Reduction by Mesoporous Carbon Nitride Modified with Polymeric Cobalt Phthalocyanine

The integration of molecular catalysts with low‐cost, solid light absorbers presents a promising strategy to construct catalysts for the generation of solar fuels. Here, we report a photocatalyst for CO₂ reduction that consists of a polymeric cobalt phthalocyanine catalyst (CoPPc) coupled with mesoporous carbon nitride (mpg‐CN_x) as the photosensitizer. This precious‐metal‐free hybrid catalyst selectively converts CO₂ to CO in organic solvents under UV/Vis light (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm^?2, λ>300 nm) with a cobalt‐based turnover number of 90 for CO after 60 h. Notably, the photocatalyst retains 60 % CO evolution activity under visible light irradiation (λ>400 nm) and displays moderate water tolerance. The in situ polymerization of the phthalocyanine allows control of catalyst loading and is key for achieving photocatalytic CO₂ conversion.     

Intercalated hybrid of kaolinite with KH2PO4 showing high ionic conductivity (∼10−4 S cm−1) at room temperature

In this paper, we present the study of preparation and ionic conductance for an intercalated hybrid of kaolinite with potassium dihydrogen. The intercalation efficiency is high up to ca. 90%. The intercalated hybrid has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The ionic conductivity (σ) of the hybrid material is strongly dependent on the moisture in the environment, with σ = 8.4 × 10⁻¹⁰ S cm⁻¹ at 293 K and gradually increases to 7.16 × 10⁻⁹ S cm⁻¹ under N₂ atmosphere (anhydrous environment) at 353 K as well as an activation energy of E_a = 0.618 e V, whereas σ = 2.19 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at 100% relative humidity and 293 K with E_a = 0.44 eV. The mechanism that the moisture affects the ionic conductance of the intercalated hybrid is further discussed.     

POM-Incorporated CoO Nanowires for Enhanced Photocatalytic Syngas Production from CO2

Utilizing sustainable energy for chemical activation of small molecules, such as CO₂, to produce important chemical feedstocks is highly desirable. The simultaneous production of CO/H₂ mixture (syngas) from photoreduction of CO₂ and H₂O is highly promising. However, the relationships between structure, composition, crystallinity, and photocatalytic performance are still indistinct. Here, amorphous ultrathin CoO nanowires and polyoxometalate incorporated nanowires with even lower crystallinity were synthesized. The POM-incorporated ultrathin nanowires exhibit high photocatalytic syngas production activity, reaching H₂ and CO evolution rates of 11555 and 4165 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ respectively. Further experiments indicate that the ultrathin morphology and incorporation of POM both contribute to the superior performance. Multiple characterizations reveal the enhanced charge–hole separation efficiency of the catalyst would facilitate the photocatalysis.