Designing one-photon-based heterojunction for superior CO₂ photoreduction under visible light

An innovative one-photon-based heterojunctions, designed by integrating doping and heterostructure strategies to enhance photocatalytic efficiency, is reviewed. Fe (iron) incorporation into Bi₂WO₆ (BWO) reduces the energy bandgap, thereby extending light absorption to longer wavelengths and suppressing charge recombination. Additionally, defect-rich MoS₂ with an aligned bandgap was synthesized and loaded to construct an effective reduction heterojunction, triggered by one photon. The synthesized heterojunction exhibits direct interfacial chemical interactions between Fe and MoS₂ atoms, significantly enhancing charge carrier dynamics. The surface defects on MoS₂ act as active centers for CO₂ molecule activation, demonstrating highly efficient CO₂ photoreduction activity. Notably, the heterojunction achieves CH₄ (CO) yields that are 3.2 (3.7) and 2.1 (2.9) times greater than MoS₂ and Fe@BWO, respectively, demonstrating its synergistic efficiency. In-situ XPS and in-situ EPR analyses reveal intriguing insights into the charge transfer pathway, suggesting a heterojunction mechanism with distinct interfacial interactions that align with advanced photocatalytic charge dynamics. This study establishes a promising platform for advancing redox heterojunction materials and provides valuable insights into optimizing redox properties and charge dynamics for the design of next-generation semiconductor photocatalysts with enhanced efficiency and sustainability. Hence, offering strong potential for integration into photocatalytic fuel cells application and other solar-driven energy conversion technologies.