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Tang R, Wang H, Dong X, Zhang L, Sun Y, Dong F. Selectivity regulation of CO 2 photoreduction via the electron configuration of active sites on single-atom photocatalysts. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 655:243-252. [PMID: 37944372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.10.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The major challenge in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is to achieve high conversion efficiency while maintaining selectivity for a single product. Photocatalysts containing single-metal Cu2+ with 3d9 and Zn2+ with 3d10 on g-C3N4 were prepared using a high-energy ball mill. Single-atom Zn inner electron configuration is stable (3d10) and the peripheral empty orbitals act as electron traps to trap photo-generated electrons and improve the efficiency of charge separation; Zn is an active site to enhance the adsorption and activation of CO2. The stable electron configuration can reduce the energy required for the overall reaction and increase the activity while changing the reaction pathway to form CO. As a result, the 0.5 mol% Zn/g-C3N4 (Zn-CN-0.5) photocatalyst achieves ∼100 % selectivity for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO at a rate of ∼21.1 μmol·g-1·h-1. In contrast, the 0.5 mol% Cu/g-C3N4 (Cu-CN-0.5) photocatalyst with an unstable electronic structure does not exhibit high selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruofei Tang
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou) & Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China; Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Functional Development and Application of High Performance Special Textile Materials, Chengdu Textile College, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou) & Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Xing'an Dong
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou) & Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Lili Zhang
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE(2)), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island 627833, Singapore
| | - Yanjuan Sun
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou) & Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Fan Dong
- Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou) & Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Huzhou 313000, China.
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He Q, Ding J, Tsai HJ, Liu Y, Wei M, Zhang Q, Wei Z, Chen Z, Huang J, Hung SF, Yang H, Zhai Y. Boosting photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production by regulating electronic configuration of single Sb atoms via carbon vacancies in carbon nitrides. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 651:18-26. [PMID: 37536256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Single-atom catalysts supported on semiconductors can serve as active sites for efficient oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, researchers have long been puzzled by the lack of guidance on optimizing the performance of single-atom photocatalysts. In this study, we propose a versatile strategy that utilizes carbon vacancies to regulate the electronic configuration of antimony (Sb) atoms on carbon nitrides (C3N4). This strategy has been found to significantly enhance the photocatalytic production of H2O2. The H2O2 evolution rate of Sb single-atom on carbon vacancy-rich C3N4 (designated as Sb1/Cv-C3N4) is 5.369 mmol g-1h-1, which is 10.9 times higher than C3N4 alone. By combining experimental characterizations and density functional theory simulations, we reveal the strong electronic interaction between Sb atoms and carbon vacancy-rich C3N4. This interaction is capable for maintaining the electron-rich state of Sb atoms, facilitating efficient electron transfer to pauling-type absorbed oxygen, and ultimately enhancing the formation of *OOH intermediates. This innovative defect-engineering approach can manipulate the electronic configuration of single-atom catalysts, providing a new avenue to boost the photocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction towards H2O2 production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinye He
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jie Ding
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hsin-Jung Tsai
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Yuhang Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Min Wei
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Qiao Zhang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhiming Wei
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhaoyang Chen
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jian Huang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Sung-Fu Hung
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
| | - Hongbin Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Yueming Zhai
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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