Designing charge transfer route at the interface between WP nanoparticle and g-C3N4 for highly enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction

Developing metallic co-catalysts is an effective way to enhance the photocatalytic activity of semiconductor by forming the Schottky junction, but it remains challenging to unveil the design principle. Herein, a novel nanocomposite is prepared by coupling ultra-small WP nanoparticles embedded on N-doped carbon (WP-NC) with 2D graphitic C3N4 (g-C3N4). The WP-NC and g-C3N4 form an intimate interface via PN- chemical bonds at atomic level, which facilitates the flow of photoexcited electrons from g-C3N4 to WP-NC. Moreover, the Schottky junction formed at the interface can prevent the charge-carrier recombination in the WP-NC/g-C3N4 composite and thus significantly enhance the photocatalytic CO production rate from 29 (bare g-C3N4) to 376 mu mol g(-1) h(-1). As the first example of WP applied on the photocatalytic CO2 reduction, this work demonstrates the potential of metallic WP as a co-catalyst in photocatalysis and provides a useful guide on the phosphide-based material designing.

Automated summary

Developing metallic co-catalysts is an effective way to enhance photocatalytic activity, and the coupling of ultra-small WP nanoparticles embedded on N-doped carbon with 2D graphitic C3N4 has been shown to significantly enhance CO production rate through facilitating electron flow and preventing charge-carrier recombination via the Schottky junction. This work demonstrates the potential of metallic WP as a co-catalyst in photocatalysis and provides useful guidance on phosphide-based material design.