Unveiling S‐Scheme Charge Transfer Pathways in In₂S₃/Nb₂O₅ Hybrid Nanofiber Photocatalysts for Low‐Concentration CO₂ Hydrogenation

Abstract

Unveiling the charge separation and transfer pathways and exploring low‐cost and durable heterojunction photocatalysts are still two key challenges in achieving high‐efficient solar fuel generation from low‐concentration carbon dioxide. Herein, the layered In2S3‐modified Nb2O5 hybrid nanofiber photocatalysts with core–shell structures for efficient low‐concentration CO2 hydrogenation are constructed. The as‐prepared binary S‐scheme photocatalysts show excellent CO generation of 60.36 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 5.6 and 3.8 times higher than that of Nb2O5 and In2S3, which not only exhibits the CO generation in low‐concentration CO2 but also is superior to most photocatalysts without sacrificial agents or cocatalysts. In situ illuminated X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates the S‐scheme charge transfer pathways formed due to the unmatched Fermi level, creating an internal electric field at the core/shell interface, driving the separation of the photoexcited charge carriers. This work will provide a promising strategy for constructing nanofiber‐based heterojunction photocatalysts for efficient low‐concentration CO2 hydrogenation reactions.

Dispersed Nickel Phosphide Cocatalyst on Nb2O5 Ultrathin Nanosheets to Boost Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

“…Notably, the intensity for NiP/Nb 2 O 5 (5 : 1) was almost 7.5 times of pure Nb 2 O 5 . And the higher photocurrent response indicated better charge separations, [27] consist with the former characterizations. Clearly, the introduction of NiP as cocatalyst greatly improved the separation and prolonged the lifetime of photoexcited electrons and holes.…”

Enhanced Solar Fuel Production over In2O3@Co2VO4 Hierarchical Nanofibers with S‐Scheme Charge Separation Mechanism

“…[47][48][49] Notably, in the IC20 composite, the binding energy (BE) of In 3d shifts negatively in comparison to pure In 2 O 3 , whereas the 2d), which is consistent with above XPS analysis and will facilitate the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers. [21,[50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] The band structure of In separation in In 2 O 3 @Co 2 VO 4 S-scheme heterojunctions, thus promoting photocatalytic activity. Additionally, for IC20, the average lifetime in CO 2 (9.76 ns) is diminished in comparision to that in Ar (12.48 ns), which indicates that a significant number of photoelectrons in Co 2 VO 4 CB are delivered to CO 2 molecules for photoreactions rapidly accounting for the outstanding charge mobility of Co 2 VO 4 , leaving fewer charge carriers to participate in recombination.…”

Unlocking the Charge‐Migration Mechanism in S‐Scheme Junction for Photoreduction of Diluted CO2 with High Selectivity

“…Additionally, the low concentration of CO 2 in the emissions released by heavy industries, such as coal-fired power plants, imposes further limitations on the feasible application of CO 2 photoreduction through artificial photosynthesis. [12][13][14][15][16] Consequently, the attainment of elevated efficiency and selectivity represents a persistent challenge, necessitating the advancement of novel artificial photosynthetic systems. [17][18][19][20][21][22] The efficient CO 2 photocatalysis conversion remains a significant challenge due to rapid carrier recombination and the limited efficiency of solar-to-fuel conversion.…”