Abstract
Constructing multi-physical effects on semiconductors is one new horizon to develop next-generation photocatalysts. Here we use pyroelectric black phosphorus (BP) to couple with nonmetallic plasmonic tungsten oxides (WO) forming a BP/WO heterostructures as photocatalysts to convert CO2 for CO under visible-near-infrared (Vis-NIR) light irradiation. Nonmetallic plasmonic heterostructures exhibit 26.1 µmol h− 1 g− 1 CO generation with a selectivity of 98 %, and which is 7- and 17-fold higher than those of plasmonic WO and pyroelectric BP, respectively. The interface P-O-W bonds in heterostructures are constructed to work as channels for electron transfer from BP to plasmonic WO. Moreover, the photothermal energy generated by SPR excitation on WO can make the temperature of heterostructures rapidly increasing from 24 to 86 oC in 10 min, triggering the pyroelectric BP for carriers to promote electron transfer. Multi-physical effects including plasmonic hot carriers and photothermal effect of WO, intrinsic band excitation and pyroelectric effect of BP and W-O-P bonds play synergistic roles on boosting hot electron generation for CO2 reduction. This work provides clear proofs to demonstrate that constructing multi-physical effects on semiconductors is one useful strategy to promote NIR-harvesting for artificial photosynthesis.
Nonmetallic plasmonic heterostructures with multi-synergies on boosting hot electron generation for CO2 photoreduction
