Piezo-photocatalysis for efficient charge separation to promote CO2 photoreduction in nanoclusters

Xingwang Zhu; Hangmin Xu; Chuanzhou Bi; Hao Song; Ganghua Zhou; Kang Zhong; Jinman Yang; Jianjian Yi; Hui Xu; Xiaozhi Wang

doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106653

Piezo-photocatalysis for efficient charge separation to promote CO₂ photoreduction in nanoclusters

Ultrason Sonochem. 2023 Dec:101:106653. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106653. Epub 2023 Oct 20.

Authors

Xingwang Zhu¹, Hangmin Xu², Chuanzhou Bi², Hao Song², Ganghua Zhou², Kang Zhong³, Jinman Yang³, Jianjian Yi², Hui Xu⁴, Xiaozhi Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China. Electronic address: zxw@yzu.edu.cn.
² School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China.
³ School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China.
⁴ School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China. Electronic address: xh@ujs.edu.cn.
⁵ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China. Electronic address: xzwang@yzu.edu.cn.

Abstract

The substantial emissions of CO₂ greenhouse gases have resulted in severe environmental problems, and research on the implementation of semiconductor materials to minimize CO₂ is currently a highly discussed subject. Effective separation of interface charges is a major challenge for efficient piezo-photocatalytic systems. Meanwhile, the ultrasmall-sized metal nanoclusters can shorten the distance of electron transport. Herein, we synthesized Au₂₅(p-MBA)₁₈ nanoclusters (Au₂₅ NCs) modified red graphitic carbon nitride (RCN) nanocatalysts with highly exposed Au active sites by in-situ seed growth method. The loading of Au₂₅ NCs on the RCN surface provides more active sites and creates a long-range ordered electric field. It allows for the direct utilization of the piezoelectric field to separate photogenerated carriers during photo-piezoelectric excitation. Based on the above advantages, the rate of CO₂ reduction to CO over Au₂₅ NCs/RCN (111.95 μmol g^-1 h^-1) was more than triple compared to that of pristine RCN. This paper has positive implication for further application of metal clusters loaded semiconductor for piezo-photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.

Keywords: Au(25) nanoclusters; CO(2) reduction; Electric field; Photocatalytic; Piezo-catalysis.