《Sci. China Mater.》: Multisite-Steered C−C Coupling for Photocata-lytic Air-Concentration CO₂ Reduction into C₂H₆

Guangbing Huang,⁺ Dongpo He,⁺ Ziyao Zhou,⁺ Wensheng Yan, Yang Pan, Jun Hu, Junfa Zhu, Xiaodong Zhang, Yuming Dong,* Jiaqi Xu,* and Xingchen Jiao*

Efforts to photoconvert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into C₂ products are primarily hindered by the significant energy barrier of C−C coupling step. Herein, we incorporate active metal particles with localized surface plasmon resonance on metal oxide nanosheets. Also, we construct multiple metal pair sites to boost C−C coupling, thus promoting the formation of C₂ fuels. Taking Au nanoparticles on the Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets as an example, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy illuminate the Au−Ti metal pair sites on the Au-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectra reveals the presence of the *OCCOH intermediate on the surface of Au-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets during CO₂ photoreduction, while the intermediate is not detected on the Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets. Accordingly, the Au-Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets realize photoreduction of atmospheric-concentration CO₂ into ethane using a single catalyst. By contrast, the Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets alone are limited to producing C₁ products such as carbon monoxide and methane.

Figure 1. Schematic illustration for photoreduction of atmospheric-concentration CO₂ on the active metal particles anchored on metal oxide semiconductor nanosheets. The multiple sites on the metal-semiconductor interface promote the C–C cou-pling step to form C₂ fuels.