Recent advancements in photocatalytic CO2 reduction have highlighted the exceptional potential of BiVO4/MXene composites, achieving a CO production rate of 128 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ under visible light irradiation, a 3.2-fold enhancement compared to pristine BiVO4. The integration of MXene, a two-dimensional transition metal carbide, with BiVO4 significantly improves charge carrier separation efficiency, as evidenced by a 78% reduction in photoluminescence intensity. This synergy is attributed to the formation of a Schottky junction at the interface, which facilitates electron transfer from BiVO4 to MXene, reducing recombination losses. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal that MXene's surface functional groups (-OH and -F) act as active sites for CO2 adsorption, lowering the activation energy barrier by 0.45 eV.
The structural engineering of BiVO4/MXene composites has been optimized to maximize photocatalytic performance. A hierarchical nanostructure with a specific surface area of 156 m² g⁻¹ was achieved through hydrothermal synthesis, enhancing CO2 adsorption capacity by 62%. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the stability of the composite under prolonged illumination, with no detectable degradation over 50 hours of continuous operation. The introduction of oxygen vacancies in BiVO4 further improved catalytic activity, as demonstrated by a 42% increase in formate production rate (96 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). These vacancies were quantified using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, revealing a defect density of 1.8 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³.
The role of MXene's conductivity in enhancing photocatalytic efficiency has been systematically investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed a 67% reduction in charge transfer resistance for BiVO4/MXene composites compared to bare BiVO4. Transient absorption spectroscopy revealed that MXene accelerates electron-hole pair separation, with a recombination lifetime extended to 1.8 ns versus 0.6 ns for pristine BiVO4. This improvement is critical for achieving high quantum efficiency (QE), which reached 12.3% at 420 nm for the composite, compared to just 3.7% for BiVO4 alone.
Scalability and practical application potential have been explored through pilot-scale testing under simulated solar irradiation (AM1.5G). A reactor incorporating BiVO4/MXene composites achieved a solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency of 0.85%, surpassing previous benchmarks for similar systems by over 30%. The composite demonstrated robust stability under harsh conditions, retaining 92% of its initial activity after 200 cycles of operation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) indicated that the energy payback time for this system could be reduced to just 1.8 years if implemented at scale.
Future research directions focus on optimizing MXene's surface chemistry and exploring alternative co-catalysts to further enhance performance. Preliminary results with Ni-doped MXene show promise, achieving a methane production rate of 48 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, a 25% improvement over undoped counterparts. Advanced characterization techniques such as operando Raman spectroscopy are being employed to elucidate reaction mechanisms at the atomic level, paving the way for rational design of next-generation photocatalysts.
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