Enhanced Electron-Coupled Proton Transfer in Pt/Bi₂MoO₆ for Improved Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction

The slow rate of electron-coupled proton transfer currently limits the efficiency of photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction. To address this challenge, we utilize Pt-loaded Bi₂MoO₆ ultrathin nanosheets, prepared via photodeposition, to enhance the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. This approach significantly improves electron-coupled proton transfer efficiency and boosts photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance. With 0.8% platinum loading, the CO and CH₄ generation rates reach 60.23 and 130.2 μmol g^-1 h^-1, respectively, which are 3 times and 2.7 times higher than those of pure Bi₂MoO₆. The presence of Pt increases the electron density on the photocatalyst surface, facilitating more efficient proton coupling. CO is produced through *COOH protonation, while CH₄ is formed via the HCOOH-HCHO-CH₃OH-CH₄ reaction pathway. This study underscores the critical role of electron-coupled proton transfer in enhancing photocatalytic performance and offers valuable insights for designing more effective CO₂ reduction photocatalysts.