Construction of a 0D/2D NixP/LaTiO2N Schottky junction photocatalyst for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic CO2 reduction†

Abstract

Employing photocatalytic technology to transform CO₂ into valuable fuels is considered a promising solution for addressing the exacerbated greenhouse effect and energy crisis. The development of photocatalysts featuring superior charge separation efficiency is pivotal for the widespread implementation of photocatalytic CO₂ reduction technologies. Herein, zero-dimensional (0D) Ni_xP nanoparticles are anchored onto two-dimensional (2D) LaTiO₂N nanosheets by a photo-deposition method, and a Ni_xP/LaTiO₂N Schottky junction composite with excellent photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance is constructed. The optimal Ni_xP/LaTiO₂N composite achieves CO and CH₄ yields of 9.39 and 4.15 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively, with the utilized photoelectron number (UPN) reaching 51.98 μmol g⁻¹, which is approximately 9.7 times higher than that of LaTiO₂N alone. The improved photocatalytic performance of the composites can be attributed to the formation of Schottky junctions, which effectively suppress the recombination of photogenerated carriers. This study provides a new idea for the development of 0D/2D Schottky junction photocatalysts.