Photothermal Catalytic Performance Research Articles

Uncovering the role of unsaturated coordination defects in manganese oxides for concentrated solar-heating photothermal OVOCs oxidation: Experimental and DFT explorations

In this study, we innovatively develop a concentrated photothermal catalysis (CPTC) system with a cost-effective solar concentrator to efficaciously achieve light-to-heat conversion, and combine a defect engineering strategy to design Mn3O4-based catalysts with unsaturated coordination defects (O and Mn atoms) for solar-heating photothermal ethyl acetate oxidation without additional artificial-energy input. As a result, Mn3O4-3 exhibits outstanding photothermal catalytic performance for ethyl acetate and other OVOCs oxidation under weak simulated sunlight even natural sunlight irradiation. The enriched unsaturated defects in Mn3O4-3 with lower Mn-O and Mn-Mn coordination numbers not only improve the concentration of surface reactive species (Mn4+ and Oads), but also regulate the energy-band structure to further promote the light absorption capacity and charge separation. Experimental and theoretical evidences demonstrate that the generation of abundant Mn defects is conducive to the ethyl acetate dissociation/hydrolysis into key intermediates, while the existence of more O vacancies synergistically facilitates the O2 dissociation toward highly reactive O* participating in the deep oxidation of key intermediates. Moreover, in-situ DRIFTS and DFT results reveal the reaction pathway expansion (Pathway I and II) of photothermal ethyl acetate oxidation on manganese oxides under sunlight irradiation. This work provides an attractive CPTC technology for VOCs removal in energy and environmental application.

Photothermal catalytic oxidation of toluene by perovskite oxide/biochar nanocomposite: Effect of biomass incorporation

The utilization of waste biomass for the development of full-spectrum response photothermal catalysts shows significant potential in catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, perovskite oxide LaCoO3/biomass-derived biochar nanocomposite was synthesized by the sol–gel method using wasted pomegranate peel as complex agent. The introduction of biomass resulted in improved dispersion of LaCoO3 particles and enhanced the adsorption of toluene attributed to the large specific surface area and rich functional groups of biochar. Furthermore, the biochar exhibited strong broadband absorption and efficient photo-thermal conversion under light illumination, which not only activated the lattice oxygen on the surface to react with toluene, but also increased the transmission rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The defects of LaCoO3 caused by carbon doping facilitated the circulation of oxygen species, leading to the generation of more reactive oxygen species. When the mass ratio of LaCoO3 to biomass was 1:0.6, the LaCoO3/biochar composite exhibited excellent photothermal catalytic performance with a T90 value of 270 °C (temperature at 90 % degradation) and displaying high stability. Moreover, In-situ DRIFTS analysis revealed that both adsorbed oxygen and lattice oxygen participated in the reaction with toluene, promoting the ring-opening reaction of toluene and subsequent conversion of intermediates.

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates by photothermal catalytic coupling of CO2 and epoxides under solvent-free conditions

The conversion of CO2 to cyclic carbonate under mild conditions is an effective strategy to achieve carbon neutrality. This work reports the formation of cyclic carbonates by coupling CO2 with epoxides using a photothermal catalyst (CoFe2O4@PDA) with added organic ligands of bimetals under atmospheric pressure, solvent-free, 70 °C and UV light irradiation. The addition of ligands substantially enhanced the photothermal catalytic performance of the catalysts as verified by various characterizations. Subsequent experimental results under optimal conditions showed excellent yields of the catalysts for the conversion of epoxides with different groups to the corresponding cyclic carbonates. The cycling results also indicate good recyclability of the catalyst. This pathway in using light as a driving reaction to fix CO2 for the synthesis of cyclic carbonate provides a new idea for subsequent photothermal catalytic fixation of CO2.

Photothermal synergistic catalytic reactions: g-C3N4 assisted CeO2 for efficient selective aromatic alcohol oxidation

This paper investigates the enhanced effect of photothermal synergistic catalytic reactions and demonstrates this effect using CeO2 as an example. The experimental results demonstrate that CeO2 exhibits remarkable ability to efficiently harness both light and thermal energy for catalytic reactions, which can achieve the enhanced effect of photothermal synergistic catalytic reaction. The effect of photothermal co-catalysis is significantly greater than the simple algebraic sum of photocatalysis and thermal catalysis. Furthermore, by incorporating other materials such as g-C3N4, the photothermal catalytic performance of CeO2 can be further enhanced. Specifically, under visible light irradiation and a stable temperature of 363.15 K, the yield and selectivity of 50% CeO2/g-C3N4 (50% COCN) catalyst for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde reached 56.9% and 99%, respectively. Based on characterization and theoretical calculations, a possible mechanism of photothermal co-catalysis was proposed. This study provides a new idea for the implementation of photothermal synergistic catalytic reaction and provides a reference for the design and synthesis of related materials.

3D homogeneous porous copper-ceria catalyst for solar light driven photothermal CO-PROX in H2-rich gas: Enhanced light absorption and abundant oxygen vacancy

Photothermal preferential oxidation of CO (CO-PROX) on copper-ceria catalyst has emerged as an efficient and energy-saving approach for trace CO purification in hydrogen-rich gas. However, the limited light absorption and photo-to-thermal conversion capability of the copper-ceria catalyst hinder its catalytic performance for photothermal CO-PROX. In this study, a three-dimensional homogeneous porous copper-ceria catalyst (3DHP) was developed by using ordered SiO2 microspheres as the hard template. Compared to 3DIP catalyst with disordered silica colloid as the template, the uniform 3D pore structure, smaller particle size and abundant oxygen vacancy in 3DHP remarkably promote its photothermal catalytic performance for CO-PROX driven by the simulated solar light. The uniform 3D pore structure of 3DHP catalyst greatly strengthens the light absorption and photo-to-thermal conversion ability due to the slow photon effect of photonic crystals, which obtained higher surface temperature under the light irradiation. The higher specific surface area contributed to the high dispersion of copper species on 3DHP catalyst. Additionally, the more abundant oxygen vacancy facilitated the activation of O2 and the efficient electron-hole separation in 3DHP catalyst. Moreover, the visible light contributes to the largest portion of the total CO conversion due to the strong absorption ability of 3DHP in this range.

Unraveling the role of Co3O4 facet for photothermal catalytic oxidation of methanol via operando spectroscopy and theoretical investigation

Tubular, pie- and bread-shaped forms of Co3O4 with exposed {110}, {112} and {111} facets were prepared and compared in their photothermal catalytic performance and reaction pathways during the oxidation of methanol. Among them, the Co3O4 with exposed {110} facet exhibited the best photothermal catalytic performance (95% methanol conversion, 93% CO2 yield) under solar irradiation, while also maintaining good stability and moisture resistance. Reaction mechanism studies showed that the {110} facets had a strong adsorption capacity for formaldehyde, which facilitated its conversion to formate. The transformation of formaldehyde to formate species was the key step. The key step on the {110} facet was conversion of formaldehyde to a mono-dentate formate species, while conversion on the {112} and {111} facets was mainly to bi-dentate formate species. This study demonstrated that the design of preferential exposed crystal facet can regulate the pathway of photothermal catalytic reaction and realize efficient solar energy utilization.

Broad-spectrum solar conversion towards photothermal catalytic reforming hydrogen production with in-situ thermal regulation over core-shell nanocomposites

Photothermal catalytic hydrogen production is regarded as an effective conversion of solar energy into clean energy carrier. However, the uncontrollable in-situ photo-thermal effect would cause overheating of the catalytic site, thereby reducing the electron transfer efficiency, and the vast amount of energy contained in the near-infrared thermal effect has not been fully utilized. In this study, an Au/TiO2 nanorod catalyst and n-eicosane were employed to establish a core-shell structure to enhance solar energy conversion and regulating in-situ temperature rise during the photothermal catalytic process. The results revealed that the core-shell structure offered an efficient reaction area and high dispersion stability, while the amount of photothermal catalyst loaded also influenced the photothermal catalytic performance. Also, the in-situ overheating is effectively regulated to help enhance efficient electron transfer for hydrogen production. The core-shell structures with Au/TiO2 loading amounts of 9.3%, 14.5%, and 20.2% enhanced hydrogen yields by 30.3%, 42.2%, and 53.8%, respectively, compared to that of pure photothermal catalyst suspension. Meanwhile, the photothermal conversion efficiencies were 33.3%, 64.5% and 88.1% higher than those of 10 vol% glycerol solution. Thus, the photothermal effect has been shown to be effective for improving the performance of photothermal glycerol reforming for hydrogen production, and photothermal catalyst-phase change material composite structures can provide a new idea for promoting solar energy into thermal and chemical energy.

High-performance photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction to CH4 and CO by ABO3 (A = La, Ce; B = Ni, Co, Fe) perovskite nanomaterials

The synthesis of renewable fuel by CO2 reduction is a promising research direction. The CO2 reduction reaction may be promoted using photothermal catalysis to achieve efficient CO2 conversion under mild conditions. In this context, designing efficient catalysts is urgent. In this work, ABO3 (A = La, Ce; B = Ni, Co, Fe) perovskite catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation and calcination. Experimental results show that the A-site ions and B-site ions in ABO3 perovskite nanomaterials have a great influence on their structure and photothermal catalytic performance. Among them, the LaNiO3 catalyst shows excellent photothermal catalytic performance in the conversion of CO2 to CO and CH4, which can generate 0.16 mmol g−1 h−1 CO and 1.38 mmol g−1 h−1 CH4 at low CO2 and H2 concentrations. For the LaNiO3 sample, its enhancement of catalytic performance mainly benefits from the largest number of active sites, the fastest carrier transport rate, and a relatively suitable band edge position compared with other catalysts. This study proposes a new method for improving the activity and selectivity of photothermal CO2 reduction and offers a new direction for the recycling of waste gas.

Novel Co3O4@TiO2@CdS@Au double-shelled nanocage for high-efficient photocatalysis removal of U(VI): Roles of spatial charges separation and photothermal effect

Effective spatial separation and utilization of photogenerated charges are critical for photocatalysis process. Herein, novel Co3O4 @TiO2 @CdS@Au double-shelled nanocage (CTCA) with spatially separated redox centers was synthesized by loading Co3O4 and Au NP cocatalysts on the inner and outer surfaces of Z-scheme heterojunction (TiO2 @CdS). The reduction rate constant of U(VI) by CTCA reached 0.218 min−1 under simulated sunlight irradiation, which was 6.6, 3.2 and 36.3 times than that of monolayer CTCA (0.033 min−1), CTC (0.068 min−1) and CT (0.006 min−1). The full-spectrum light-assisted photothermal catalytic performance can enable CTCA to remove 98.8% of U(VI) and degrade nearly 90% of five organic pollutants simultaneously. Detailed characterizations and theory calculations revealed that the photogenerated holes and electrons in CTCA flow inward and outward. More importantly, Co3O4 acts as a “nano heater” to generate the photothermal effect for further enhancing the charge transfer and accelerating the surface reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, the photogenerated electrons and superoxide radicals play a dominant role in reducing the adsorbed U(VI) to insoluble (UO2)O2·2H2O(s). This work provides valuable input toward a novel double-shelled hollow nanocage reactor with excellent photothermal catalysis ability for efficient recovery U(VI) from uranium mine wastewater to address environmental contamination issues.

Engineering light propagation for synergetic photo- and thermocatalysis toward volatile organic compounds elimination

Photo-thermal catalysis emerged as a new fast-growing research area for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) elimination. However, despite some significant achievements, the research on engineering the light propagation to promote the photo-thermal catalytic efficiency has been largely overlooked so far. Herein, we reported Pt nanoparticle decorated three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) LaMn1.2O3 with multiple light scattering and the slow photon effect for improving the light-harvesting, thus achieving synergetic photo- and thermal catalysis toward complete toluene mineralization. As a result, a 100% conversion of toluene (200 ppm with a flow rate of 12.8 mL∙min−1) is achieved with high selectivity to CO2 (88%) and good stability (100 h) under solar light irradiation. Combining characterizations and activity experiments, the multiple scattering and slow photon effect over Pt/3DOM LaMn1.2O3 are confirmed to enhance the reducibility and migration of lattice oxygen and facilitate the migration of the charge carrier, thus contributing to the improved photo-thermal catalytic performance. This work demonstrates that a well-considered design of catalysts with optimized structural and electronic properties effectively maximizes solar energy utilization.

Ternary Ni–Co–Fe oxides based on Prussian blue analog for efficient photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction to CO and CH4

Photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction is an attractive way to alleviate the current energy crisis, but it is important to prepare catalysts with efficient catalytic capacity. In this work, Prussian blue analogs were firstly prepared, and then calcined to obtain porous transition metal (Ni, Co, Fe) oxides (TMOs). The metal composition of catalysts has great influences on their structures and catalytic properties. Among them, NCF-TMO catalyst shows excellent photothermal catalytic performance, and can produce 2.9 mmol g-1 h-1 CO and 1.6 mmol g-1 h-1 mmol CH4 at low CO2 and H2 concentrations. For the NCF-TMO, its superior catalytic performance mainly benefitted from two reasons: (1) The construction of heterojunction between NiO, Co3O4 and Fe2O3, which promotes the efficient dynamic processes of charge carriers; (2) The formation of abundant surface reactive active sites facilitates the efficient conversion of CO2 molecules. This study offers a bright direction for the resource utilization of CO2.

Structurally designable Bi2S3/P-doped ZnO S-scheme photothermal metamaterial enhanced CO2 reduction

In this study, a novel 3D Bi2S3/P-ZnO S-scheme gyroid metamaterial was prepared by 3D printing and the hydrothermal method. The unique gyroid macrostructure and nanoarray microstructure offer a large volume of active sites for the photothermal catalytic reaction, thus improving the overall utilization rate of light. ZnO obtained by sintering the precursor produces oxygen vacancies, primarily due to P doping. This enables it to have a photothermal effect. After loading Bi2S3, the photothermal effect of P-ZnO and Bi2S3 is coupled, further increasing the surface temperature of composite structure and speeding up the reaction rate. P-ZnO and Bi2S3 formed a S-scheme heterojunction, promoting the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. Under simulated sunlight, the CO and CH4 yield of Bi2S3/P-ZnO S-scheme gyroid metamaterials are 8.87 and 1.49 μmol h−1. These are 3.45 times and 4.65 times of P-ZnO gyroid structure, respectively. Through SEM, TEM, XPS, ESR and in-situ FTIR characterizations, the transfer paths of photogenerated carriers between heterojunctions were revealed, and the reaction paths of photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction were explored. The co-design of 3D structure and material allows for a novel concept for further improving photothermal catalytic performance.

Insights into morphology-dependent Au/TiO2catalyst in glycerol aqueous solutions towards photothermal reforming hydrogen production

Probing the effect of spatial morphology of catalyst on its photothermal catalytic performance is crucial for solar-driven renewable catalytic reforming of hydrogen production. In this study, Au nanoparticles loaded on various morphologies of TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized. The experimental results indicated that decorating TiO2 with Au nanoparticles could dramatically increase its photocatalytic activities by 20–40 times. The photothermal conversion efficiency of Au/TiO2 (12.74%–25.54%) was higher than those of TiO2 due to the introduction of LSPR of Au nanoparticles could effectively improve the utilization of solar spectrum. Titania nanoflower (TNF) nanoparticles with high light absorption capacity, better colloidal dispersion stability, porous properties and narrow band gap represented the highest H2 productivity (144.13 μmol·g−1·h−1). The coarse surface structure was also conducive to the dispersion of gold particles on the surface of the carrier and the growth rate of Au/TNF hydrogen production (40 times) which was higher than that of other morphology within 2 h. The results of glycerol photothermal hydrogen generation highlighted the effect of temperature on colloidal dispersion stability and hydrogen production capability of nanoparticle suspension. It demonstrated that the photothermal effect aroused a temperature rise that would deteriorate the dispersion stability of the suspension although a local entropy increase in the catalyst nanoparticles might occur. At the same time, the temperature rise caused by the photothermal effect efficiently produces hydrogen in the reaction temperature range. Therefore, an ideal temperature setting for maximal hydrogen generation could be validated and improved the photothermal synergistic impact on biomass-reformed hydrogen generation.

Natural halloysite nanotubes supported Ru as highly active catalyst for photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction

Photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction has emerged as a promising approach to efficiently utilize solar energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Designing novel catalyst with high activity and selectivity is essential and challenging for practical applications of photothermal CO2 reduction. Herein, we report that natural halloysite nanotubes-supported Ru nanoparticles can boost the photothermal catalytic activity and selectivity of CO2 methanation under continuous flow conditions. The photothermal catalytic performance of optimized catalyst is up to 1704 mmolCH4 gcat−1 h−1 with 93% CH4 selectivity and 68% CO2 conversion, outperforming any other Ru-based catalysts in photothermal CO2 reduction. Mechanistic studies show that the outstanding catalytic performance is mainly attributed to the unique mesoporous tubular structure, excellent ability of light-to-heat and interfacial interactions between the halloysite nanotubes and Ru. This method of utilizing natural minerals as support provides a facile avenue for rational design of abundant and low-cost catalysts for efficient photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction.

Synthesis of CeyMn(1-y)Ox solid solution catalysts with superior photothermal catalytic performance for acetone removal under ambient condition

Cerium-manganese solid solution catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction, Raman, UV–Vis-IR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and H2 temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR) were used to characterize the as-prepared catalysts. Introduction of Mnx+ into CeO2 lattice dramatically improved the full solar spectrum absorption ability, as well as the lattice oxygen mobility of the catalysts. The Ce0.25Mn0.75Ox catalyst presents much better low temperature reducibility due to the presence of readily reduced Mnx+ species in CeO2 lattice. Ce0.25Mn0.75Ox shows a superior photothermal catalytic activity for the degradation of gaseous acetone under visible-infrared irradiation (150 mW/cm2), which gives a reaction rate constant of 11.0 times higher than that with MnOx. During the whole process, the air temperature in catalytic system never exceeds 42 °C, suggesting the achievement of the efficient photothermal catalysis for acetone removal under ambient condition. This work provides an alternative strategy in environmental protection field for efficient volatile organic compounds removal in indoor environment.

Photothermal synergistic catalytic oxidation of ethyl acetate over MOFs-derived mesoporous N-TiO2 supported Pd catalysts

To overcome the main challenge of low photocatalytic efficiency and high energy consumption of thermocatalysis in the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), MOF-derived mesoporous disk-like yPd/xN-TiO2 (x = 3.2, 5.5, 7.7 wt%, and y = 0.26 wt%) were prepared by ball milling-calcination method for photothermal catalytic oxidation of ethyl acetate. Morphological and pore structure characterization indicated that Pd/N-TiO2 had abundant pore structure and large specific surface area, which facilitated the adsorption of pollutants on the active sites. Among the catalysts, 0.26 Pd/3.2 N-TiO2 exhibited optimal photothermal catalytic performance. The corresponding temperature required for 50% and 90% conversion of ethyl acetate was 192 and 212 °C, with the specific reaction rate of 0.95 µmol/(gPd s) at 150 °C. Doping of N and loading of Pd nanoparticles enhanced the light absorption capacity, promoted the charge separation, and the adsorption capacity of ethyl acetate, resulting in a high photothermal catalytic oxidation activity. The detection of free radicals indicated that the photothermal synergy was associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species over 0.26 Pd/3.2 N-TiO2 under light irradiation condition, which directly participated in the catalytic removal of ethyl acetate. A proper increase in temperature could also promote the migration of carriers. The photothermal catalytic oxidation of VOCs over MOF-derivatives had great potential application for environmental protection.

Plasmon-Induced Semiconductor-Based Photo-Thermal Catalysis: Fundamentals, Critical Aspects, Design, and Applications

Photo-thermal catalysis is among the most effective alternative pathways used to perform chemical reactions under solar irradiation. The synergistic contributions of heat and light during photo-thermal catalytic processes can effectively improve reaction efficiency and alter design selectivity, even under operational instability. The present review focuses on the recent advances in photo-thermal-driven chemical reactions, basic physics behind the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) formation and enhancement, pathways of charge carrier generation and transfer between plasmonic nanostructures and photo-thermal conversion, critical aspects influencing photo-thermal catalytic performance, tailored symmetry, and morphology engineering used to design efficient photo-thermal catalytic systems. By highlighting the multifield coupling benefits of plasmonic nanomaterials and semiconductor oxides, we summarized and discussed several recently developed photo-thermal catalysts and their catalytic performance in energy production (CO2 conversion and H2 dissociation), environmental protection (VOCs and dyes degradation), and organic compound synthesis (Olefins). Finally, the difficulties and future endeavors related to the design and engineering of photo-thermal catalysts were pointed out to draw the attention of researchers to this sustainable technology used for maximum solar energy utilization.

Infrared-to-visible upconversion enhanced photothermal catalytic degradation of toluene over Yb3+, Er3+: CeO2/attapulgite nanocomposite: Effect of rare earth doping

Developing low cost and efficient strategy to eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are quite urgent and challenging. Herein, CeO2 nanoparticles co-doped with Yb3+ and Er3+ were immobilized on attapulgite clay (ATP) for photothermal catalytic oxidation of toluene. The CeO2:Yb3+, Er3+/ATP exhibited outstanding catalytic activity with low T90 of 295 °C (temperature at 90% degradation), satisfactory stability and highly water resistance. The enhanced photothermal catalytic performance can be attributed to the optimal introduction of Yb3+ and Er3+, which promoted the up-conversion of near-infrared light (NIR) to visible light increasing the light utilization. The defects caused by Yb3+/Er3+ doping facilitated the adsorption of O2, while the active oxygen species generated from the defects and the photoinduced reactive species not only favored the oxidation of toluene in photothermal catalytic process, but also accelerated the reoxidation of reduced catalyst. Notably ATP support provided large specific surface area and abundant adsorption sites for toluene molecules to promote the deep oxidation and hindered the deactivation of catalysts caused by the accumulation of intermediates. In-situ DRIFTS test revealed that the alkoxide and benzoate appeared as the main intermediates, which can be deeply oxidized under light irradiation. Current work provides a new alternative for photothermal catalytic degradation of VOCs.

Dual-functional copper (Cu0/Cu2+)-modified SrTiO3-δ nanosheets with enhanced photothermal catalytic performance for CO2 reduction and H2 evolution

In recent years, metal–semiconductor heterojunctions have been intensively researched in the field of photocatalysis due to the effective spatial separation of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. Here, the dual-functional copper (Cu0/Cu2+)-modified SrTiO3-δ nanosheets (Cu/STCO) are successfully synthesized by a two-step route. First, Cu2+-doped SrTiO3-δ (STCO) nanosheets are synthesized by a hydrothermal method and then Cu0 nanoparticles (NPs) are in situ formed from the STCO under H2 atmosphere at 500 °C. The optimized ratio 6 %-Cu/STCO photocatalyst exhibits the best photothermal catalytic performance for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and H2 evolution performance. The detailed characterization demonstrate that the Cu2+ dopant extend the light absorption range and the in situ generated Cu0 NPs effectively improve the separation ability of photogenerated charge carriers by forming the Schottky contact with STCO. The excited localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of metallic Cu0 in Cu/STCO shows a considerable catalysis performance even under 600 nm monochromatic light irradiation. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the Cu/STCO diminishes the barrier of the rate-determining steps of the CO2RR and H2 evolution thus perform the outstanding catalysis ability in two filed. This work presents the synergistic effect of Cu0 and Cu2+ on enhancing the photothermal catalytic performance for CO2RR and H2 evolution and offers a novel strategy to synthesize the metal–semiconductor nanostructures for efficient harnessing of solar energy into fuel.

A Three-Dimensional Melamine Sponge Modified with MnOx Mixed Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Photothermal Catalysis of Formaldehyde.

Much attention has been paid to developing effective visible light catalytic technologies for VOC oxidation without requiring extra energy. In this paper, a series of sponge-based catalysts with rich three-dimensional porosity are synthesized by combining MnOx and graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) with commercial melamine sponges (MS) coated with polydopamine (PDA), demonstrating excellent photothermal catalytic performance for formaldehyde (HCHO). The three-dimensional porous framework of MS can provide a good surface for material modification and a reliable interface for gas-solid interaction. The grown layer of PDA framework not only increases the near-infrared wavelength absorption for improving the light-to-heat conversion of catalysts, but also brings excellent adhesion for the subsequent addition of MnOX and GCN. The efficient formaldehyde oxidation is attributed to the sufficient oxygen vacancies generated by co-loaded MnOX and GCN, which is conducive to the activation of more O2− in the oxidation process. As the surface temperature of catalyst rapidly increases to its maximum value at ca. 115 °C under visible light irradiation, the HCHO concentration drops from 160 ppm to 46 ppm within 20 min. The reaction mechanism is certified as a classical Mars-van Krevelen mechanism based on the photo-induced thermal catalysis process.