Multicomponent hydroxides supported Cu/Cu₂O nanoparticles for high efficient photocatalytic ammonia synthesis

Environmentally friendly photocatalytic N-2 fixation process has attracted considerable attention. Developing efficient photocatalysts with high electron-hole separation rates and gas adsorption capacities remains quite challenging. Herein, a facile fabrication strategy of Cu-Cu2O and multicomponent hydroxide S-scheme heterojunctions with carbon dot charge mediators is reported. The rational heterostructure brings excellent N-2 absorption ability and high photoinduced electron/hole separation efficiency, and the ammonia produced yield reach above 210 mu mol center dot g(cal)(-1)center dot h(-1) during the nitrogen photofixation process. More superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are generated simultaneously in the as-prepared samples under light illumination. This work offers a reasonable construction method to further develop suitable photocatalysts for ammonia synthesis. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.