Ultrathin Co-Co LDHs nanosheets assembled vertically on MXene: 3D nanoarrays for boosted visible-light-driven CO2 reduction

Abstract

• The Co-Co LDH/TNS nanoarray was synthesized via an in situ MOF-derived strategy. • The composite remarkably facilitate the migration and separation of charge carriers. • The composite displays an excellent photocatalytic performance for CO 2 conversion. Converting carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to multiple energy-rich chemicals by photocatalysis could validly mitigate the severe issues of climate changes and energy shortages. Exploring efficient catalysts for enhancing the performance of CO 2 photoreduction is still challenging. Herein, a novel three-dimensional hierarchical Co-Co layered double hydroxide/Ti 3 C 2 T X nanosheets (Co-Co LDH/TNS) nanoarray was successfully prepared via an in-situ MOF-derived strategy. This wise design rationally integrates the functional and structural merits of active Co species with conductive MXene to a hierarchical nanoarray architecture composed of ultrathin nanosheets, which can remarkably promote separation of photogenerated charge carriers and accelerate electrons transmission. Benefitting from these features, the hierarchical Co-Co LDH/TNS composites manifest significant enhancement on the CO 2 -to-CO evolving rate (1.25 × 10 4 µmol h −1 g −1 ) under illumination (>400 nm) with a high apparent quantum efficiency (0.92%) and excellent stability. Our work demonstrates that 3D hybrid structure composed of MXene species can serve as promising candidates for CO 2 photoreduction, providing fundamental guidance to improve photocatalytic performance by rational engineering of complex hierarchical architecture materials.