Abstract
Although metal single atoms in photocatalysts can promote the CO_2 adsorption and reduction, it is still limited by the low valence state of metal single atoms. Here, S-Fe single-atom-loaded (S-Fe-hCN) nanosheets are synthesized by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and following S+ ion implantation. Benefiting from the mandatory nature of ion implantation technique, it not only reaches high content of S-doping, but also forms a high valence state of Fe and a special metal single-atom coordination structure, which greatly improves CO_2RR performance, and achieves 1100 times enhancement in CO yield with high yield of 110 μmol g~(-1) h~(-1), 100% CO selectivity, and a high quantum efficiency of 10.1% at 420 nm. EXAFS, in situ Mössbauer spectroscopy, and DFT calculations all reveal that S+ ion implantation constructs a Fe4+-N4S coordination structure, leading to the high electron transfer, which builds a stable CO_2-Fe-N4S adsorption state, opens the C═O double bond, and activates the O atom.