Efficient Photocatalytic Reduction Of Co2 To Co Using Nife2o4@N/C/Sno2 Derived From Feni Metal-Organic Framework

Use of light is considered an effective approach to convert CO2 into usable chemical energy. In the present study, an iron- and nickel-containing bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) was synthesized via a simple solvothermal route. SnO2 was then composited with the said MOF, and the obtained material was calcined and annealed to fabricate a series of nanophotocatalysts. The annealed sample displayed superior photocatalytic activity to the calcined sample, possibly due to the carbon-nitrogen layer formed after annealing mediating the charge-transfer process. The results of photocatalytic experiments indicated that using [Ru(bpy)(3)]Cl-2 center dot 6H(2)O as a photosensitizer and triethanolamine (TEOA) and acetonitrile (MeCN) as sacrificial agents, the catalyst sample was annealed at 450 degrees C (NiFe2O4@N/C/SnO2-450) to afford the highest CO yield from CO2 (2057.41 mu mol g(-1) h(-1)). The increase in the photocatalytic ability of the nanocomposites is basically attributed to multiple synergistic effects between NiFe2O4 and SnO2, which reduce the recombination probability of the photo-induced electrons and holes. Ultimately, a photocatalytic reaction mechanism is proposed for NiFe2O4@N/C/SnO2 in the reduction of CO2.