Construction of Low-Cost Z-Scheme Heterojunction CuO/PCN-250 Photocatalysts Simultaneously for the Enhanced Photoreduction of CO to Alcohols and Photooxidation of Water.

Solar-driven high-efficiency conversion of CO with water vapor into high-value-added alcohols is a promising approach for reducing CO emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. However, the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers and low CO adsorption capacity of photocatalysts are usually the factors that limit their applicability. Herein, a series of low-cost Z-scheme heterostructures CuO/PCN-250- are constructed by growth of ultrasmall CuO nanoparticles on PCN-250. A systematic investigation revealed that there is a strong interaction between CuO nanoparticles and PCN-250. The resulting CuO/PCN-250-2 exhibits excellent photogenerated carrier separation efficiency and CO adsorption capacity, which dramatically promote the conversion of CO into alcohols. Notably, the total yield of 268 μmol g for the production of CHOH and CHHOH is superior to that of isolated PCN-250 and CuO. This study provides a new perspective for the design of a CuO nanoparticle/metal-organic framework Z-scheme heterojunction for the reduction of CO to alcohols with water vapor.