Converting Organic Wastewater into CO Using MOFs-Derived Co/In2O3 Double-Shell Photocatalyst

The photocatalytic conversion of organic wastewater into value-added chemicals is a promising strategy to solve the environmental issue and energy crisis. Herein, Co/In2O3 nanotubes with a double-shell structure, as a highly efficient photocatalyst, are synthesized by a one-step calcination method. The Co/In2O3 heterostructure shows an outstanding photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of 4902 μmol h-1 g-1. Notably, these Co/In2O3 photocatalysts also achieve CO2 self-generation and in situ reduction conversion in acid organic wastewater (phenol solution), in which the high CO2 (47.5 μmol h-1 g-1) and CO (0.9 μmol h-1 g-1) evolution rates are demonstrated under solar irradiation. Transient photovoltage (TPV) tests demonstrate that Co nanoparticles on Co/In2O3 double-shell heterostructure serve as the CO2 reduction sites for the effective capture and stabilization of the photogenerated electrons.