Enhanced Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO through TiO2 Passivation of InP in Ionic Liquids

A robust and reliable method for improving the photocatalytic performance of InP, which is one of the best known materials for solar photoconversion (i.e., solar cells). In this article, we report substantial improvements (up to 18×) in the photocatalytic yields for CO₂ reduction to CO through the surface passivation of InP with TiO₂ deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Here, the main mechanisms of enhancement are the introduction of catalytically active sites and the formation of a pn‐junction. Photoelectrochemical reactions were carried out in a nonaqueous solution consisting of ionic liquid, 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM]BF₄), dissolved in acetonitrile, which enables CO₂ reduction with a Faradaic efficiency of 99 % at an underpotential of +0.78 V. While the photocatalytic yield increases with the addition of the TiO₂ layer, a corresponding drop in the photoluminescence intensity indicates the presence of catalytically active sites, which cause an increase in the electron‐hole pair recombination rate. NMR spectra show that the [EMIM]⁺ ions in solution form an intermediate complex with CO₂^?, thus lowering the energy barrier of this reaction.     

CO2 Electroreduction in Ionic Liquids: A Review

The increasing emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) caused by the unrestrained consumption of fossil fuels in recent hundreds of years, has caused global environmental and social problems. Meanwhile, CO₂ is a cheap, abundant and renewable C1‐feedstock, which can be converted into alcohols, ethers, acids and other value‐added chemicals. Compared with the thermal reactions, electrochemical reduction of CO₂ is more attractive because of its advantages by using the seasonal, geographical and intermittent energy (tide, wind and solar) under mild conditions. In recent years, taking ionic liquids (ILs) as electrolytes in the CO₂ electrochemical reduction reaction has been paid much more attention due to the advantages of lowering the overpotential of CO₂ electroreduction and improving the Faradaic efficiency. In this paper, we summarized the recent progresses of electrochemical reduction of CO₂ in ILs electrolytes, and analyzed the reaction mechanism of CO₂ reaction in the electrode‐electrolyte interface region by experimental and simulation methods. Finally, the research which needs to be highlighted in this area was proposed.     

TiO2光催化还原CO2

光催化还原CO₂技术在CO₂的治理与利用方面有着潜在的应用价值和良好的开发前景。该文简要综述了近年来用于光催化还原CO₂反应的TiO₂光催化剂材料,包括纯TiO₂催化剂、负载型TiO₂催化剂、金属改性TiO₂催化剂、半导体复合TiO₂催化剂和有机光敏化TiO₂催化剂等,并介绍了各类催化剂光催化还原CO₂的反应性能。     

Boosting Visible-Light Carbon Dioxide Reduction with Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids

Efficiently generating C₁ building blocks from environmentally friendly carbon sources, such as through photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, is essential for fostering a sustainable circular economy. The pursuit of mild catalytic activation methods has yielded powerful catalysts that can be synergistically employed alongside various reaction media to enhance overall performance. Herein, we elucidate the influence of diverse imidazolium-based ionic liquids as additives for visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction with ruthenium(II)- and rhenium(I)-bipyridine complexes. Our investigation reveals that incorporating ionic liquids into traditional solvents at concentrations below 10 % can markedly boost CO production while suppressing H₂ generation. The best results were obtained for the highly basic ionic liquid [C₂mim][OAc], resulting in a substantial rise in CO formation from 0.3 μmol/h to 5.4 μmol/h and an increase in turnover number from 3 to 59. This study underscores the cooperative influence of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on CO₂ photoreduction while circumventing their use as primary solvents, thus offering a promising avenue for sustainable chemical synthesis.     

Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 on TiO2 and Other Semiconductors

Rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves raise serious concerns about the ensuing effects on the global climate and future energy supply. Utilizing the abundant solar energy to convert CO₂ into fuels such as methane or methanol could address both problems simultaneously as well as provide a convenient means of energy storage. In this Review, current approaches for the heterogeneous photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ on TiO₂ and other metal oxide, oxynitride, sulfide, and phosphide semiconductors are presented. Research in this field is focused primarily on the development of novel nanostructured photocatalytic materials and on the investigation of the mechanism of the process, from light absorption through charge separation and transport to CO₂ reduction pathways. The measures used to quantify the efficiency of the process are also discussed in detail.     

离子液体捕集CO2

CO₂是导致温室效应的最主要成分,因此碳捕集技术的研究受到学术界和产业界的高度重视。离子液体具有不挥发、不燃烧、热稳定性好、溶解能力强、结构和性质可调节并可循环使用等特性,在CO₂的吸收/分离领域展现了广阔的应用前景。本文系统地综述了近年来常规离子液体、功能化离子液体、支撑离子液体膜、聚合离子液体以及离子液体与分子溶剂的混合物在捕集CO₂方面的研究进展;讨论了离子液体的阳离子结构、阴离子类型、烷基链长度、阴/阳离子的氟化程度和功能化、离子液体的负载作用和聚合效应以及体系的温度和压力对CO₂选择性捕集性能的影响;分析了可能的捕集机理以及各种捕集方法的优点和缺点;提出了目前需要进一步研究的若干重要问题,并对其发展前景进行了展望。     

Probing CO2 Reduction Pathways for Copper Catalysis Using an Ionic Liquid as a Chemical Trapping Agent

The key to fully leveraging the potential of the electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO2RR) to achieve a sustainable solar‐power‐based economy is the development of high‐performance electrocatalysts. The development process relies heavily on trial and error methods due to poor mechanistic understanding of the reaction. Demonstrated here is that ionic liquids (ILs) can be employed as a chemical trapping agent to probe CO2RR mechanistic pathways. This method is implemented by introducing a small amount of an IL ([BMIm][NTf₂]) to a copper foam catalyst, on which a wide range of CO2RR products, including formate, CO, alcohols, and hydrocarbons, can be produced. The IL can selectively suppress the formation of ethylene, ethanol and n‐propanol while having little impact on others. Thus, reaction networks leading to various products can be disentangled. The results shed new light on the mechanistic understanding of the CO2RR, and provide guidelines for modulating the CO2RR properties. Chemical trapping using an IL adds to the toolbox to deduce the mechanistic understanding of electrocatalysis and could be applied to other reactions as well.     

负载型TiO2/SBA-15的制备及其光催化还原CO2性能

以羧基改性的SBA-15(COOH/SBA-15)和钛酸四丁酯(TB)为原料,利用COOH/SBA-15表面上高分散的大量羧基将TB锚定,通过溶剂热处理得到高分散负载型TiO2/SBA-15催化剂.产物经XRD,Raman,FT-IR,TEM,N2吸脱附和UV-Vis表征,结果显示:所制备的TiO2/SBA-15催化剂为比表面大、结晶度较高的锐钛矿TiO2,TiO2均匀分散于SBA-15表面,此外,COOH/SBA-15有效抑制了TiO2晶粒的长大.以光催化还原CO2为探针反应,考察了TiO2/SBA-15催化剂在紫外光照射下的光催化性能.结果表明:相比于后处理浸渍法制备的光催化剂,本文制备的TiO2/SBA-15催化剂表现出了高的光催化还原CO2活性,主要产物为甲醇,且TiO2最佳负载量为16.5%,并对相关反应机理做了探讨.     

Improving the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO through Immobilisation of a Molecular Re Catalyst on TiO2

The photocatalytic activity of phosphonated Re complexes, [Re(2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,4′‐bisphosphonic acid) (CO)₃(L)] (ReP; L=3‐picoline or bromide) immobilised on TiO₂ nanoparticles is reported. The heterogenised Re catalyst on the semiconductor, ReP–TiO₂ hybrid, displays an improvement in CO₂ reduction photocatalysis. A high turnover number (TON) of 48 mol_CO mol_Re^?1 is observed in DMF with the electron donor triethanolamine at λ>420 nm. ReP–TiO₂ compares favourably to previously reported homogeneous systems and is the highest TON reported to date for a CO₂‐reducing Re photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction is even observed with ReP–TiO₂ at wavelengths of λ>495 nm. Infrared and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopies confirm that an intact ReP catalyst is present on the TiO₂ surface before and during catalysis. Transient absorption spectroscopy suggests that the high activity upon heterogenisation is due to an increase in the lifetime of the immobilised anionic Re intermediate (t_{50 %}>1 s for ReP–TiO₂ compared with t_{50 %}=60 ms for ReP in solution) and immobilisation might also reduce the formation of inactive Re dimers. This study demonstrates that the activity of a homogeneous photocatalyst can be improved through immobilisation on a metal oxide surface by favourably modifying its photochemical kinetics.     

不同离子液体中硝基苯的电化学还原

研究了硝基苯在N-甲基咪唑对甲基苯磺酸([Mim][PhSO3])和1-丁基-3-甲基咪唑六氟磷酸([Bmim][PF6])两种离子液体中的电化学还原反应.循环伏安法测试显示,硝基苯在[Mim][PhSO3]中只出现一个还原峰,是一个受扩散控制的不可逆电化学反应,而在[Bmim][PF6]中出现两对氧化还原峰,表明其还原产物随离子液体性质的不同而异.     

Ionic‐Liquid‐Assisted Synthesis of Uniform Fluorinated B/C‐Codoped TiO2 Nanocrystals and Their Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

Exploiting advanced photocatalysts under visible light is of primary significance for the development of environmentally relevant photocatalytic decontamination processes. In this study, the ionic liquid (IL), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, was employed for the first time as both a structure‐directing agent and a dopant for the synthesis of novel fluorinated B/C‐codoped anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals (T_IL) through hydrothermal hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate. These T_IL nanocrystals feature uniform crystallite and pore sizes and are stable with respect to phase transitions, crystal ripening, and pore collapse upon calcination treatment. More significantly, these nanocrystals possess abundant localized states and strong visible‐light absorption in a wide range of wavelengths. Because of synergic interactions between titania and codopants, the calcined T_IL samples exhibited high visible‐light photocatalytic activity in the presence of oxidizing Rhodamine B (RhB). In particular, 300 °C‐calcined T_IL was most photocatalytically active; its activity was much higher than that of TiO_1.98N_0.02 and reference samples (T_W) obtained under identical conditions in the absence of ionic liquid. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic oxidation mechanism and the active species involved in the RhB degradation photocatalyzed by the T_IL samples were primarily investigated experimentally by using different scavengers. It was found that both holes and electrons, as well as their derived active species, such as ^.OH, contributed to the RhB degradation occurring on the fluorinated B/C‐codoped TiO₂ photocatalyst, in terms of both the photocatalytic reaction dynamics and the reaction pathway. The synthesis of the aforementioned novel photocatalyst and the identification of specific active species involved in the photodegradation of dyes could shed new light on the design and synthesis of semiconductor materials with enhanced photocatalytic activity towards organic pollutants.     

氧空位增强光催化还原CO2性能方面的研究进展

利用太阳能和半导体光催化剂,将CO₂光催化还原转变成碳氢燃料,是缓解温室效应、全球变暖、环境污染和能源危机等一系列问题的理想途径。 本文对氧空位增强的光催化还原CO₂反应机理进行归纳,并分别针对还原产物为C1和C2组分的光催化体系进行概括总结。 作为CO₂光催化还原过程的第一步,CO₂捕获光催化剂导带上的电子生成CO2·-是反应的速控步骤。 氧空位的引入及其带来的金属配位不饱和点,利于CO₂捕获电子生成CO2·-,进而促进CO₂光催化还原过程。 最后,提出当前氧空位增强光催化还原CO₂过程仍然存在的问题,且对发展前景进行展望。     

Pivotal Role of Holes in Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction on TiO2

Evidence is provided that in a gas-solid photocatalytic reaction the removal of photogenerated holes from a titania (TiO₂) photocatalyst is always detrimental for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. The coupling of the reaction to a sacrificial oxidation reaction hinders or entirely prohibits the formation of CH₄ as a reduction product. This agrees with earlier work in which the detrimental effect of oxygen-evolving cocatalysts was demonstrated. Photocatalytic alcohol oxidation or even overall water splitting proceeds in these reaction systems, but carbon-containing products from CO₂ reduction are no longer observed. H₂ addition is also detrimental, either because it scavenges holes or because it is not an efficient proton donor on TiO₂. The results are discussed in light of previously suggested reaction mechanisms for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. The formation of CH₄ from CO₂ is likely not a linear sequence of reduction steps but includes oxidative elementary steps. Furthermore, new hypotheses on the origin of the required protons are suggested.     

Rare-Earth Single Erbium Atoms for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

The solar-driven photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ (CO₂RR) into chemical fuels is a promising route to enrich energy supplies and mitigate CO₂ emissions. However, low catalytic efficiency and poor selectivity, especially in a pure-water system, hinder the development of photocatalytic CO₂RR owing to the lack of effective catalysts. Herein, we report a novel atom-confinement and coordination (ACC) strategy to achieve the synthesis of rare-earth single erbium (Er) atoms supported on carbon nitride nanotubes (Er₁/CN-NT) with a tunable dispersion density of single atoms. Er₁/CN-NT is a highly efficient and robust photocatalyst that exhibits outstanding CO₂RR performance in a pure-water system. Experimental results and density functional theory calculations reveal the crucial role of single Er atoms in promoting photocatalytic CO₂RR.     

Tunning CO2 Separation Performance of Ionic Liquids through Asymmetric Anions

This work aims to explore the gas permeation performance of two newly-designed ionic liquids, [C₂mim][CF₃BF₃] and [C₂mim][CF₃SO₂C(CN)₂], in supported ionic liquid membranes (SILM) configuration, as another effort to provide an overall insight on the gas permeation performance of functionalized-ionic liquids with the [C₂mim]⁺ cation. [C₂mim][CF₃BF₃] and [C₂mim][CF₃SO₂C(CN)₂] single gas separation performance towards CO₂, N₂, and CH₄ at T = 293 K and T = 308 K were measured using the time-lag method. Assessing the CO₂ permeation results, [C₂mim][CF₃BF₃] showed an undermined value of 710 Barrer at 293.15 K and 1 bar of feed pressure when compared to [C₂mim][BF₄], whereas for the [C₂mim][CF₃SO₂C(CN)₂] IL an unexpected CO₂ permeability of 1095 Barrer was attained at the same experimental conditions, overcoming the results for the remaining ILs used for comparison. The prepared membranes exhibited diverse permselectivities, varying from 16.9 to 22.2 for CO₂/CH₄ and 37.0 to 44.4 for CO₂/N₂ gas pairs. The thermophysical properties of the [C₂mim][CF₃BF₃] and [C₂mim][CF₃SO₂C(CN)₂] ILs were also determined in the range of T = 293.15 K up to T = 353.15 K at atmospheric pressure and compared with those for other ILs with the same cation and anion’s with similar chemical moieties.     

Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate at Low Overpotential Using a Superbase Ionic Liquid

A new low‐energy pathway is reported for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to formate and syngas at low overpotentials, utilizing a reactive ionic liquid as the solvent. The superbasic tetraalkyl phosphonium ionic liquid [P₆₆₆₁₄][124Triz] is able to chemisorb CO₂ through equimolar binding of CO₂ with the 1,2,4‐triazole anion. This chemisorbed CO₂ can be reduced at silver electrodes at overpotentials as low as 0.17 V, forming formate. In contrast, physically absorbed CO₂ within the same ionic liquid or in ionic liquids where chemisorption is impossible (such as [P₆₆₆₁₄][NTf₂]) undergoes reduction at significantly increased overpotentials, producing only CO as the product.     

Thermo- and Photocatalytic Activation of CO2 in Ionic Liquids Nanodomains

Ionic liquids (ILs) are considered to be potential material devices for CO₂ capturing and conversion to energy-adducts. They form a cage (confined-space) around the catalyst providing an ionic nano-container environment which serves as physical-chemical barrier that selectively controls the diffusion of reactants, intermediates, and products to the catalytic active sites via their hydrophobicity and contact ion pairs. Hence, the electronic properties of the catalysts in ILs can be tuned by the proper choice of the IL-cations and anions that strongly influence the residence time/diffusion of the reactants, intermediates, and products in the nano-environment. On the other hand, ILs provide driving force towards photocatalytic redox process to increase the CO₂ photoreduction. By combining ILs with the semiconductor, unique solid semiconductor-liquid commodities are generated that can lower the CO₂ activation energy barrier by modulating the electronic properties of the semiconductor surface. This mini-review provides a brief overview of the recent advances in IL assisted thermal conversion of CO₂ to hydrocarbons, formic acid, methanol, dimethyl carbonate, and cyclic carbonates as well as its photo-conversion to solar fuels.