Crystal defects engineering of BiOI elevated photocatalytic CO2 to C2 conversion performance
摘要
BiOI materials show significant potential for photocatalytic CO2 reduction, but their limited CO2 activation and poor charge carrier properties hinder conversion efficiency. In this study, we engineered BiOI-based photocatalysts with abundant crystal defects to enhance performance. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed lattice distortions and twin crystals in BiOI-LD and BiOI-TC. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, micropore and chemisorption analyses, and photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrated that crystal defects improved light absorption, CO2 adsorption, charge transfer efficiency, and carrier lifetime. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy showed increased superoxide radical generation in BiOI-TC, suggesting higher reactivity. Consequently, BiOI achieved a CH3CH2OH generation rate of 6.2 µmol g−1 h−1 with 100% selectivity. Key intermediates (*CO, *COCO, *CHO, *CH2) for CH3CH2OH production were identified, and C2H6 formation in BiOI-LD was linked to the generation of *CH3.