Near-Infrared-Responsive Photocatalytic CO 2 Conversion via In Situ Generated Co 3 O 4 /Cu 2 O

Photocatalytic CO2 conversion to fuels is a promising strategy for achieving global carbon neutrality. However, infrared light, which accounts for ∼50% of the full sunlight spectrum, has not yet been effectively utilized via photocatalysis. Here, we present an approach to directly power photocatalytic CO2 reduction using near-infrared light. This near-infrared light-responsive process occurs on an in situ generated Co3O4/Cu2O photocatalyst with a nanobranch structure. Photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy and relative photocatalytic measurements demonstrate the increase of surface photovoltage after illumination by near-infrared light. We also find that Cu(I) on this in situ generated Co3O4/Cu2O could…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 51888103
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities