Fabrication and characterization of Z-scheme BiOCl/C/Cu2O heterojunction nanocomposites as efficient catalysts for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2

Abstract

The photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to hydrocarbons is expected to simultaneously alleviate the energy crisis and greenhouse effect. Herein, the ternary BiOCl/C/Cu₂O catalysts with different mass ratios were compounded using a simple hydrothermal method, revealing better photocatalytic activity than the monomer. In the absence of sacrificial agents and photosensitizers, 25% BiOCl/C/Cu₂O showed optimal photocatalytic performance. The CO and CH₄ yields over 25% BiOCl/C/Cu₂O reached 26.77 and 9.86 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, which is 2.9 and 8.7 times higher than that of the pristine Cu₂O, respectively. The ameliorative activity can be attributed to the construction of the Z-scheme heterostructure and carbon layer, which are conducive to the transfer and separation of photogenerated carriers. This study offers valuable references for the design and investigation of a Z-scheme heterojunction using a carbon layer as an electron transfer medium.