Ni-doped flower-like BiOCl/MXene composite catalysts for enhanced CO₂ reduction performance
摘要
This study synthesizes Ni-doped BiOCl/MXene composite photocatalysts via a one-pot hydrothermal method for enhanced CO₂ reduction. The ternary heterostructure with highly dispersed Ni2⁺/Ni3⁺ species significantly improves charge separation efficiency, as evidenced by a 2.02-fold increase in carrier lifetime (4.72 ns) from time-resolved photoluminescence measurements. Photoelectrochemical tests demonstrate a photocurrent density of 65.3 μA/cm2, representing a 4.3-fold enhancement over pristine BiOCl, alongside minimal charge transfer resistance. In photocatalytic CO₂ reduction under simulated sunlight, Ni/BiOCl/MXene achieves 91% CO selectivity and a cumulative yield of 53.23 μmol/g over 5 h, corresponding to a production rate of 10.65 μmol/(g·h). This performance reflects a 5.1-fold total yield improvement and a 3.84-fold increase attributable to MXene’s conductive network. Control experiments confirm nickel’s dual role in refining reaction sites and promoting CO₂ adsorption, with CO2-TPD analysis revealing a distinct 350 °C desorption peak indicative of Ni2⁺-stabilized HCOO* intermediates. The catalyst maintains 92% initial activity after five cycles, demonstrating exceptional stability. This work establishes a synergistic mechanism where MXene facilitates interfacial electron transfer while nickel doping optimizes intermediate stabilization, providing new design principles for efficient solar fuel generation.