The Highly Enhanced Efficiency of the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO 2 over Bi 2 WO 6 Nanosheets by NaOH Microregulation.

The photoreduction of CO₂ to other products containing carbon through simulated photosynthesis is a promising area of research. However, given the complexity of the CO₂ photocatalytic reduction reaction, it is crucial to adjust the structure of the photocatalysts. The focus of this study was on creating NaOH-modified Bi₂WO₆ nanosheet photocatalysts via a one-step hydrothermal route and using them to convert CO₂ into CO through photocatalytic reduction under the condition of not using an electron sacrifice agent. The results of characterizations and activity data showed that adding an appropriate amount of NaOH significantly improved the photoreduction activity of CO₂, as seen in the BWO-2 catalyst. The efficiency of photocatalysts could be improved by tuning the band structure through the addition of an appropriate amount of alkali. This adjustment improves the separation of photogenerated carriers and controls the concentration of oxygen vacancy to reduce recombination. As a result, the photocurrent activity is highly enhanced, leading to better reduction performance compared to unmodified photocatalysts. In experiments, the CO yield of the modified photocatalyst BWO-2 remained above 90 μmol/g after four trials, indicating its effectiveness in reducing CO₂. This study offers insights into the regulation of band structure in bismuth-based photocatalysts for efficient CO₂ reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]