Visible-light-driven photocatalysis of carbon dioxide by BiSeX and BiSeX/g-C3N4 (X = Cl, Br, I)

The conversion of CO2 through photoreduction into renewable and sustainable solar fuels, such as al-cohols and hydrocarbons, is an attractive approach for addressing environmental issues and energy crises. In this study, we successfully prepared a series of BiSeX (X = Cl, Br, I) photocatalysts by using a simple hydrothermal method that involves dissolving BiX3 and Se powder in toluene. The binary com-posite photocatalyst BiSeX/g-C3N4 was synthesized by mixing BiSeX with varying quantities of g-C3N4 to identify the optimal material for photocatalytic activity. The BiSeX/g-C3N4 photocatalyst converted CO2 into CH4, and the photocatalytic conversion rate of BiSeCl/50 wt% g-C3N4 was as high as 1.92 mmol/g$h. The optimized BiSeX/g-C3N4 photocatalysts exhibit gradual selective transition from CO2 to CH4 and eventually high-value hydrocarbons (C2+). Furthermore, because of the ability of these photocatalysts to reduce CO2, they are promising materials for mitigating environmental pollution. & COPY; 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The conversion of CO2 into renewable solar fuels through photoreduction is an attractive approach for addressing environmental issues and energy crises. This study successfully prepared BiSeX (X = Cl, Br, I) photocatalysts using a simple hydrothermal method and synthesized a binary composite catalyst BiSeX/g-C3N4 for optimal photocatalytic activity. The optimized BiSeX/g-C3N4 photocatalysts showed selective transition from CO2 to CH4 and eventually high-value hydrocarbons (C2+), making them promising materials for mitigating environmental pollution.