Interfacial Engineering of Bi19Br3S27 Nanowires Promotes Metallic Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Activity under Near-Infrared Light Irradiation

Developing highly efficient photocatalysts to utilize solar radiation for converting CO2 into solar fuels is of great importance for energy sustainability and carbon neutralization. Herein, through an alkali-etching-introduced interface reconstruction strategy, a nanowire photocatalyst denoted as V-Bi19Br3S27, with rich Br and S dual-vacancies and surface Bi-O bonding introduced significant near-infrared (NIR) light response, has been developed. The as-obtained V-Bi19Br3S27 nanowires exhibit a highly efficient metallic photocatalytic reduction property for converting CO2 into CH3OH when excited solely under NIR light irradiation. Free of any cocatalyst and sacrificial agent, metallic defective V-Bi19Br3S27 shows 2.3-fold higher CH3OH generation than Bi19Br3S27 nanowires. The detailed interfacial structure evolution and reaction mechanism have been carefully illustrated down to the atomic scale. This work provides a unique interfacial engineering strategy for developing high-performance sulfur-based NIR photocatalysts for photon reducing CO2 into alcohol for achieving high-value solar fuel chemicals, which paves the way for efficiently using the solar radiation energy extending to the NIR range to achieve the carbon neutralization goal.

Automated summary

Developing a high-efficiency sulfur-based NIR photocatalyst, V-Bi19Br3S27, with significant NIR light response, for converting CO2 into CH3OH shows promising results for achieving carbon neutralization through photon reducing. This work introduces a unique interface engineering strategy and paves the way for efficiently utilizing solar radiation energy in the NIR range.