What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the efficacy of a 3D In2S3/CdS heterojunction in photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction.

March 7, 2026

Photoelectrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction to C 2 Products via the Morphology Control of a Three-Dimensional In 2 S 3 /CdS Heterojunction

Puntos clave

To investigate the efficacy of a 3D In2S3/CdS heterojunction in photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction.
Synthesized a 3D honeycomb-structured In2S3/CdS heterojunction using solvothermal and SILAR methods.
Conducted photochemical and photoelectrochemical analyses to evaluate catalyst performance.
Performed optical and chemical field simulations to explore light absorption and product selectivity.
Utilized operando IR spectra to identify intermediates involved in product formation.
Employed DFT calculations to analyze the interface promotion of C-C coupling.
The optimal In2S3/CdS-4h catalyst reduced CO2 to HCOOH, CH3COOH, and CH3CH2OH with a formation rate of 28.75 μM h-1 cm-2.
Achieved an 88.8% electron selectivity for C2 products.
Demonstrated stability with 70.5% activity retention after five cycles, compared to 53.8% for CdS.
Identified key intermediates responsible for C1 and C2 product formation.
Confirmed the effectiveness of the honeycomb structure in enhancing light absorption and product selectivity.

Resumen

In 2025, escalating consumption of fossil fuels has driven the atmospheric CO2 concentration to 430 ppm, which is the highest value in human history. Photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction offers a viable strategy to mitigate CO2 levels, while addressing the surging demand for fossil energy. Herein, an in situ synthesis strategy of a solvothermal method combining with successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) was developed to fabricate a 3D honeycomb-structured In2S3/CdS heterojunction on carbon paper mimicking plant cells for PEC CO2 reduction. The carbon paper substrate exhibits an excellent photothermal effect, with its surface temperature reaching 65 °C. Photochemical and photoelectrochemical analyses indicate that the formation of the heterojunction can effectively enhance the utilization of photogenerated carriers. Thus, the optimal In2S3/CdS-4h catalyst reduces CO2 to HCOOH, CH3COOH, and CH3CH2OH products under mild reaction conditions, with a carbon-based product formation rate of 28.75 μM h-1 cm-2 and an electron selectivity for C2 products of 88.8%. Repeated experiments reveal a favorable reproducibility of In2S3/CdS-4h photoelectrodes with the RSD lower than 10%. Moreover, the In2S3/CdS-4h heterojunction exhibits improved stability, retaining 70.5% of its initial activity after five cycles (10 h), whereas CdS retains only 53.8%. Considering the underlying mechanism, optical simulations and chemical field simulations confirm the benefits of this honeycomb structure on light absorption and C2 product selectivity, respectively. Operando IR spectra identified the key *OCHO and *OC-COH intermediates responsible for the formation of the C1 and C2 products, respectively. Finally, DFT calculations show that the In2S3/CdS interface specifically promotes C-C coupling (forming *OC-COH) compared with the individual components. This work presents a perspective for the rational design of catalysts via multieffect synergy, advancing efficient PEC CO2 reduction to C2 products.

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Cite This Study

Liu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69abc1015af8044f7a4e9b13 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c23973

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