Mechanistic Study of CO2 Photoreduction with H2O on Cu/TiO2 Nanocomposites by in Situ X-ray Absorption and Infrared Spectroscopies

Cu/TiO2 composites are extensively studied for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O, but the roles of Cu species (Cu2+, Cu+, or Cu0) is not well understood, and the photocatalyst deactivation mechanism is seldom addressed. In this work, we have employed in situ techniques, i.e., X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), to explore the surface chemistry of Cu/TiO2 composites under CO2 photoreduction environment. We found that the air-calcined Cu/TiO2 (Cu/Ti(air)) surface was dominated by isolated Cu2+ sites, while the one post-treated with H2 at 200 °C (Cu/Ti(H2)) was rich in Cu+ and oxygen vacancy (VO). Cu/Ti(H2) showed more than 50% higher activity than Cu/Ti(air) for CO2 photoreduction to CO, mainly resulting from the synergy of Cu+, OH groups, and VO that could scavenge holes to enhance electron transfer, provide CO2 adsorption sites, and facilitate the activation and conversion of the adsorbed CO2 (HCO3– and CO2–). Meanwhile, the ...