Au cluster anchored on TiO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2) hybrid composites for efficient photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction

摘要

The size of metal nanoparticles is a key factor to enhance the photocatalytic activity of photocatalysts.However,the mechanism of this factor to the improvement of photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction performance is still unclear.Here,Au cluster/TiO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2) and Au nanoparticle/TiO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2) were successfully prepared by deposition-precipitation method.The experimental results show that the photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction performance of Au cluster/TiO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2) with quantum size effect is stronger than that of Au nanoparticle/TiO_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2) with surface plasmon resonance.The enhanced photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction activity is assigned to the establishment of an overlapping orbital between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO)of the Au cluster and the anti-bonding orbital of CO_(2),which greatly promotes the activation efficiency of CO_(2).The existence of Au cluster and the mechanism of photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction performance were certified by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy(HAADF-STEM)and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ISFTIR).This work may open new opportunities for the establishment of stable and active metal nanocatalysts.