Although progress has been made to improve photocatalytic CO2 reduction under visible light (λ>400 nm), the development of photocatalysts that can work under a longer wavelength (λ>600 nm) remains a challenge. Now, a heterogeneous photocatalyst system consisting of a ruthenium complex and a monolayer nickel‐alumina layered double hydroxide (NiAl‐LDH), which act as light‐harvesting and catalytic units for selective photoreduction of CO2 and H2O into CH4 and CO under irradiation with λ>400 nm. By precisely tuning the irradiation wavelength, the selectivity of CH4 can be improved to 70.3 %, and the H2 evolution reaction can be completely suppressed under irradiation with λ>600 nm. The photogenerated electrons matching the energy levels of photosensitizer and m‐NiAl‐LDH only localized at the defect state, providing a driving force of 0.313 eV to overcome the Gibbs free energy barrier of CO2 reduction to CH4 (0.127 eV), rather than that for H2 evolution (0.425 eV).

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The 2D nanosheets of layered inorganic solids prepared by soft-chemical exfoliation reaction can be used as effective building blocks for hybridization with inorganic, organic, bio-, and polymer molecules/nanostructures. In comparison with graphene nanosheets, the 2D inorganic nanosheets boast much higher tunability in their chemical composition and physicochemical properties, leading to the creation of unexpected novel functionalities upon hybridization. Despite such unique and intriguing advantages of inorganic nanosheets, there are still only limited numbers of studies regarding the inorganic nanosheet-based hybrid materials. This Feature Article focuses on fundamental aspects of diverse synthetic strategies of the 2D nanosheet-based nanohybrids such as electrostatically derived reassembling, layer-by-layer deposition, crystal growth on the surface sites of nanosheets, and so on. Also, diverse functionalities of these 2D nanohybrid materials are discussed with an emphasis on the energy and environmental applications such as Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors, photocatalysts, fuel cells, and greenhouse gas capture. A prospect for the exploration of novel inorganic 2D nanosheet-based functional materials is provided along with new strategies to optimize the functionality of 2D inorganic nanosheets and their nanohybrids.

Self-assembled CuO nanosheet bundles are fabricated on stainless steelviachemical bath deposition and optimized for efficient electrocatalysis.

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A scalable and economical drop-cast aided approach for the synthesis of a self-supportive thin-film of Cu–Fe–NH2 based MOF nanosheets as a highly efficient and durable electrocatalyst for water-splitting at high currents.

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This work reports on the concurrent electrochemical energy storage and conversion characteristics of granular copper oxide electrode films prepared using reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature under different oxygen environments. The obtained films are characterized in terms of their structural, morphological, and compositional properties. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope studies reveal that granular, single-phase Cu2O and CuO can be obtained by controlling the oxygen flow rate. The electrochemical energy storage properties of the films are investigated by carrying out cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. The electrochemical analysis reveals that the Cu2O and CuO electrodes have high specific capacitances of 215 and 272 F/g in 6 M KOH solution with a capacity retention of about 80% and 85% after 3000 cycles, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry are used to study the electrochemical energy conversion properties of the films via methanol electro-oxidation. The results show that the Cu2O and CuO electrodes are electro-catalytically active and highly stable.