Multichannel Electron Transmission and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer in InS/Au/rGO Composite for CO Photoreduction.

Efficient electron transmission is an important step in the process of CO photoreduction. In this paper, a multi-interface-contacted InS/Au/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) photocatalyst with the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism has been successfully prepared by the solvothermal, self-assembly, and hydrothermal reduction processes. Photocatalytic CO reduction experiments showed that the InS/Au/rGO (IAr-3) composite exhibited excellent photoreduction performance and photocatalytic stability. The yields of CO and CH obtained after the photoreduction process with IAr-3 as the catalyst were around 4 and 6 times higher than those of pure InS, respectively. Photoelectrochemical analysis showed that the multi-interface contact and FRET mechanism greatly improved the generation, transmission, and separation efficiency of carriers photogenerated within the photocatalyst. FTIR test was applied to analyze the photocatalytic CO reduction process. C isotope tracer test confirmed that the carbon source of CO and CH was the CO molecules in the photoreduction process rather than the decomposition of catalyst or TEOA. A potential enhanced photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed in total.