A nonmetallic plasmonic catalyst for photothermal CO₂ flow conversion with high activity, selectivity and durability

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Nanotechnology
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• High-performance photothermal catalysts are crucial for CO2 hydrogenation.
• Designing active sites and light absorbers is key to catalyst development.
• Noble-metal-free catalysts are sought after for cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a nonmetallic plasmonic catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation.
• To investigate the synergistic effect of dual active sites and localized surface plasmon resonance.
• To evaluate the catalyst's performance in the reverse water-gas shift reaction.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Mo2N/MoO2-x nanosheets.
• Integration of localized surface plasmon resonance with dual active sites (N atom and O vacancy).
• Photothermal catalytic testing under full-spectrum light irradiation in a flow reactor.

Main Results:

• Mo2N/MoO2-x nanosheets exhibited synergistic dual active sites for simultaneous H2 and CO2 adsorption and activation.
• The catalyst demonstrated efficient photon energy conversion into localized heat via plasmonic effects.
• Achieved a CO yield rate of 355 mmol·gcat−1·h−1 with >99% selectivity over 168 hours.

Conclusions:

• The developed Mo2N/MoO2-x nanosheets show remarkable photothermal catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation.
• This work provides insights into designing noble-metal-free active sites and plasmonic catalysts.
• The findings contribute to developing effective strategies for reducing carbon footprints.