Zn2GeO4 crystal splitting toward sheaf-like, hyperbranched nanostructures and photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into CH4 under visible light after nitridation

Sheaf-like, hyperbranched Zn2GeO4 nanoarchitectures were successfully synthesized in a binary ethylenediamine (En)/water solvent system using a solvothermal route. These structures may be assigned to the splitting crystal growth mechanism, resembling some minerals observed in nature. Addition of increasing amounts of En was found to enhance the degree of crystal splitting. Nitridation of the resulting Zn2GeO4 superstructures under NH3 flow produced yellow Zn1.7GeN1.8O solid solution, which allows photocatalytically converse CO2 into hydrocarbon fuel (CH4) in the presence of H2O at ambient conditions under visible light irradiation.