The synergy between silver-cobalt dual-active sites on exfoliated carbon nitride for efficient CO2 photoreduction

The photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ presents a promising strategy for addressing the pressing environmental and energy crises. Here, we anchored AgCo alloy nanoparticles to hydrogen-exfoliated C₃N₄(HCN) and used the catalyst for photocatalytic reduction of CO₂. Studies have shown that introducing N vacancies in C₃N₄ through hydrogen exfoliation has led to a notable enhancement in visible light absorption. Ag acts as an adsorption and catalytic site for CO₂ molecules, enhancing the interfacial activation of CO₂. Co acts as a hole-trapping site and significantly enhances the charge transport capability of the material. The synergy between Ag and Co together promoted photocatalytic CO₂ conversion, and the CO yield reached 4.35 μmol/h with 98.9 % CO selectivity, which was 62 times higher than that of pristine C₃N₄. This study offers a versatile platform for the design of synergistic catalysts aimed at efficient solar energy conversion.