Atomic-level insight of sulfidation-engineered Aurivillius-related Bi2O2SiO3 nanosheets enabling visible light low-concentration CO2 conversion

Unraveling atomic-level active sites of layered photocatalyst towards low-concentration CO2 conversion is still challenging. Herein, the yield and selectivity of photocatalytic CO2 reduction of the Aurivillius-related oxide semiconductor Bi2O2SiO3 nanosheet (BOSO) were largely improved using a surface sulfidation strategy. The experiment and theoretical calculation confirmed that surface sulfidation of the Bi2O2SiO3 nanosheet (S-BOSO, 6.28 nm) redistributed the charge-enriched Bi sites, extended the solar spectrum absorption to the whole visible range, and considerably enhanced the charge separation, in addition to creating new reaction active sites, as compared to pristine BOSO. Subsequently, surface sulfidation played a switchable role, wherein S-BOSO showed a very high CH3OH generation rate (12.78 mu mol g(-1) for 4 h, 78.6% selectivity) from low-concentration CO2 (1000 ppm) under visible light irradiation, which outperforms most of the state-of-the-art photocatalysts under similar conditions. This study presents an atomic-level modification protocol for engineering reactive sites and charge behaviors to promote solar-to-energy conversion.

Automated summary

By employing a surface sulfidation strategy, the yield and selectivity of photocatalytic CO2 reduction of the Bi2O2SiO3 nanosheet were significantly improved. The sulfidation treatment redistributed the charge-enriched sites, extended the solar spectrum absorption, and enhanced the charge separation. The modified nanosheet showed a high methanol generation rate from low-concentration CO2 under visible light irradiation.