Fiber-like ZnO with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Xiaohong Ma; Danyang Li; Yuheng Jiang; Huacheng Jin; Liuyang Bai; Jian Qi; Feifei You; Fangli Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.048

Fiber-like ZnO with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic CO₂ reduction

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2022 Dec 15;628(Pt B):768-776. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.048. Epub 2022 Aug 12.

Authors

Xiaohong Ma¹, Danyang Li², Yuheng Jiang³, Huacheng Jin¹, Liuyang Bai⁴, Jian Qi⁵, Feifei You², Fangli Yuan⁶

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Multi-phase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
² College of Textile and Clothing, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China.
³ Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchy Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, PR China.
⁴ Industry Innovation & Research and Development Institute of Zhumadian, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian 463000, PR China.
⁵ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Multi-phase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, PR China.

PMID: 36029591
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.048

Abstract

Utilizing solar energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into chemical fuels could simultaneously mitigate the greenhouse effect and fossil fuel crisis. Herein, a heterogeneous photocatalyst of ZnO nanofiber deposited by Pt nanoparticles was successfully synthesized toward photocatalytic CO₂ reduction via radio-frequency thermal plasma and photo-deposition method. The Pt nanoparticles were introduced on the surface of ZnO nanofibers to broaden the light absorption and utilization, increase the additional reaction active sites and facilitate the separation of photo-generated electron/hole pairs. Combined with the natural advantages of short transfer path of charge carriers and self-support effecting in humid reaction environment for nanofibers, the Pt/ZnO hetero-junction nanocomposites displayed superior photocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction with respect to bare ZnO nanofibers, affording a CO-production rate as high as 45.76 μmol g^-1 h^-1 under 300 W Xe lamp irradiation within a gas-solid reaction system. Furthermore, in-suit Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were applied to unveil the details during photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. This work presents a hetero-junction nanocomposite photocatalyst based on eco-friendly semiconductor and metal materials.

Keywords: CO(2) reduction; Heterogeneous structure; Nanofiber; Photocatalysis; Pt/ZnO.