Abstract
Design of highly efficient photocatalysts for CO2 reduction to renewable fuels has gained significant attention for energy sustainability and carbon neutralization. Here, we report the fabrication of hetero-metal oxide MCo2V2O8 hollow nanospheres through self-templating strategy and anion-exchange reaction. The as-prepared NiCo2V2O8 hollow nanospheres exhibit remarkable CO2 photoreduction, achieving a CO generation rate of 198.65 μmol g~(-1) h~(-1) (9.64 times higher than the undoped Co3V2O8) with 98.8% selectivity under visible light irradiation. Results of experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that addition of Ni in the hetero-metal oxide and their electronic interaction among d states decrease the bandgap to extend the light absorption, promote CO2 adsorption, and favor the separation of photogenerated charges with inhibited recombination. The in situ FT-IR and Raman spectral results identify the CO2 reduction pathway through COOH~* intermediate. This work sheds light on production of solar fuels via an efficient hetero-metal oxide strategy.
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