Stabilization of Atomic CoO x Clusters on Oxygen Vacancy-Rich TiO 2 for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO 2 to Methanol
Abstract
This study utilizes cold plasma etching to create oxygen vacancies on TiO 2 nanosheets, which serve as anchoring sites to achieve atomic dispersion of CoO x clusters. The synthesized catalyst exhibits exceptional performance in photocatalytic CO 2 to methanol, yielding 542.3 μmol·g –1 ·h –1 approximately three times higher than that of the nonplasma-treated samples. Comprehensive characterizations confirm the atomic dispersion of cobalt and strong metal–support interactions, which enhance charge separation/transfer kinetics. In situ DRIFTS analysis further elucidates the CO 2 to methanol reaction pathway via a *COOH intermediate. This work provides a valuable blueprint for designing efficient, atomically dispersed photocatalysts through vacancy-confined synthesis.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
Catalytic Processes in Materials Science
TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1488–1494
- Publication date
- 22 January 2026
- Language
- EN