Z-scheme polyimide/tungsten trioxide aerogel photocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic CO2reduction under visible light

Nanotechnology. 2021 May 14;32(31). doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/abf7ed.

Abstract

Developing highly efficient and stable photocatalysts is an effective method to achieve CO2photocatalytic reduction. Herein, PI/WO3aerogel photocatalyst was prepared by chemical amide reaction coupled with an ethanol supercritical drying technique. The novel aerogel photocatalysts exhibit excellent photocatalytic performance for reducing CO2into CO. In particular, PI/WO3-10 aerogel photocatalyst shows the highest yield of CO (5.72μmol g-1h-1), which is ca 11-fold higher than that of the pristine PI aerogel. The high CO2reduction activity can be attributed to the Z-scheme structure, which enhances the separation of photo-generated electron-holes, and induces H2O oxidation on WO3nanosheets and CO2reduction on PI aerogel. The photocatalytic reaction mechanism of CO2when using PI/WO3aerogel photocatalyst is proposed.