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Open Access Research Article Issue
Optimizing photothermal CO2 reduction through integrated band-division utilization and thermal management structure
Nano Research 2025, 18(2): 94907157
Published: 31 December 2024
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Solar-driven photothermal catalytic CO2 conversion into fuels offers a promising approach to reducing fossil fuel dependence. To enhance the efficiency of photothermal CO2 reduction, photothermal catalyst design must not only sustain the high temperatures required for the reaction but also effectively utilize the entire solar spectrum. In this study, we present a novel photothermal catalyst architecture BiVO4/Bi/BiOCl that surpasses traditional designs by integrating plasmonic metal Bi as the “hot spot” and BiOCl as the thermal insulation layer on the outermost part. This structure realizes thermal management, contributing to maintaining the high temperatures required for the reaction. The BiVO4/Bi/BiOCl multi-component system synergistically absorbs the full solar light spectrum and achieves band-division utilization: short- and mid-wavelengths drive reduction and oxidation reactions, respectively, while long-wavelengths induce the photothermal effect. The BiVO4/Bi/BiOCl catalyst demonstrates high-efficiency CO2 conversion performance in an outdoor concentrating system, achieving a CO production rate of 9.5 μmol/h. This work presents a design strategy for functional photothermal catalysts, making them viable candidates for industrial-scale CO2 conversion processes.

Research Article Issue
Room-temperature photodeposition of conformal transition metal based cocatalysts on BiVO4 for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting
Nano Research 2020, 13(1): 231-237
Published: 27 December 2019
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Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting using semiconductors offers a promising way to convert renewable solar energy to clean hydrogen fuels. However, due to the sluggish reaction kinetics of water oxidation, significant charge recombination occurred at the photoanode/electrolyte interface and cause decrease of its PEC performance. To reduce the surface recombination, we deposit different transition metal complexes on BiVO4 nanocone arrays by a versatile light driven in-situ two electrode photodeposition approach without applied bias. Conformal cobalt phosphate "Co-Pi" , nickel borate "Ni-Bi" and manganese phosphate "Mn-Pi" complexes were deposited on BiVO4 nanocone arrays to form core-shell structure photoanode, all of which lead to enhanced photoelectrochemical performance. The photocurrent of the Co-Pi/BiVO4 photoanode under front-side illumination for 5 min is increased by 4 folds comparing to that of bare BiVO4 photoanode at 0.6 V vs. RHE, reaching a hole transfer efficiency as high as 94.5% at 1.23 V vs. RHE. The proposed photodeposition strategy is simple and efficient, and can be extended to deposite cocatalyst on other semiconductors with a valence band edge located at a potential more positive than the oxidation potential of transition metal ion in the cocatalyst.

Research Article Issue
Hierarchical growth of a novel Mn-Bi coupled BiVO4 arrays for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting
Nano Research 2019, 12(3): 575-580
Published: 13 December 2018
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Oxygen evolving catalyst (OEC) is a critical determinant for the efficiency of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Here we report an approach to depositing a novel manganese borate (Mn-Bi) OER catalyst on BiVO4 nanocone photoanode by photodeposition in sodium borate buffer solution containing Mn(Ⅱ) ions. Due to the spontaneous photo-electric-field-enhancement effect at the vertically oriented BiVO4 nanocone structure, spherical Mn-Bi nanoparticle was selectively photodeposited at the apex of BiVO4 nanocone. Significant improvement of photocurrent was observed for the obtained hierarchical Mn-Bi/BiVO4 photoanode which could be ascribed to enhanced hole injection efficiency, especially in low bias region. It was observed that the injection efficiency of Mn-Bi/BiVO4 is 98% which gave a photocurrent of 0.94 mA/cm2 at 1.5 V vs. RHE.

Research Article Issue
A Novel Sn2Sb2O7 Nanophotocatalyst for Visible-Light-Driven H2 Evolution
Nano Research 2012, 5(8): 576-583
Published: 22 July 2012
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A novel pure cubic-phase pyrochlore structure tin(Ⅱ) antimonate nanophotocatalyst, stoichiometric Sn2Sb2O7, has been prepared by a modified ion-exchange process using an antimonic acid precursor, and employed in visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 evolution for the first time. The physicochemical properties (crystal phase, chemical composition and state, textural properties, and optical properties) of the material were investigated by different instrumental techniques. Compared with the antimonic acid precursor, the as-prepared Sn2Sb2O7 had a narrower bandgap, smaller crystal size, and larger BET surface area. The as-prepared Sn2Sb2O7 was validated as a promising candidate for visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 evolution with a constant rate of 40.10 μmol·h−1·gcat−1.

Research Article Issue
Surface tuning for promoted charge transfer in hematite nanorod arrays as water-splitting photoanodes
Nano Research 2012, 5(5): 327-336
Published: 11 May 2012
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Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanorod films with their surface tuned by W6+ doping have been investigated as oxygen-evolving photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cells. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements have been performed on the undoped and W6+-doped α-Fe2O3 nanorod films. W6+ doping is found to primarily affect the photoluminescence properties of α-Fe2O3 nanorod films. Comparisons are drawn between undoped and W6+-doped α-Fe2O3 nanorod films, WO3 films, and α-Fe2O3-modified WO3 composite electrodes. A close correlation between dopant concentration, photoluminescence intensity, and anodic photocurrent was observed. It is suggested that W6+ surface doping promotes charge transfer in α-Fe2O3 nanorods, giving rise to the enhanced PEC performance. These results suggest surface tuning via ion doping should represent a viable strategy to further improve the efficiency of α-Fe2O3 photoanodes.

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