Multi‐Chambered Branches of Hollow Nanoreactors Drive Spatiotemporal Regulation of <sup>*</sup> CO Intermediate for Efficient CO <sub>2</sub> ‐to‐CH <sub>4</sub> Photoreduction

The high-calorific value and gas infrastructure compatibility of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) position it as a key target in artificial CO<sub>2</sub> photoreduction. However, the challenge of manipulating the surface coverage of <sup>*</sup>CO intermediate on catalysts significantly impedes the efficiency and selectivity of CH<sub>4</sub> production during the eight-electron reduction process. Here, a hollow nanoreactor (HoNR) photocatalyst (hS-ZnSe/CdSe) with multi-chambered branches is demonstrated, achieving efficient and selective CH<sub>4</sub> production under visible light. In situ DRIFTS reveals that the branched mesoporous shell can effectively regulate the dispersion and concentration of <sup>*</sup>CO intermediate, thereby promoting methoxy (<sup>*</sup>CH<sub>3</sub>O) formation, which is a significantly kinetic determinant of CH<sub>4</sub> generation. The HoNR photocatalyst demonstrates a superior CH<sub>4</sub> production of 215.5 µmol·g<sup>-1</sup>·h<sup>-1</sup> with an electron selectivity of 92%, which surpasses most state-of-the-art photocatalysts, especially without using any noble metal cocatalyst. Moreover, the relationship between intermediate diffusion kinetics and final product selectivity in complex geometries cavities is quantitatively established via systematic simulation. This work revolutionarily leverages chamber-branched topological architectures to drive spatiotemporally coupled cascade reactions, establishing a potential paradigm for achieving high-efficiency photocatalysis.

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Journal
Advanced Materials
Published
2025-10-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202514658
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.73

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article

Multi‐Chambered Branches of Hollow Nanoreactors Drive Spatiotemporal Regulation of * CO Intermediate for Efficient CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photoreduction

Jiaqi Zhu, Xianghua Kong, Yong‐Ho Ra, Zewen Wu et al.
2 citations
Advanced Materials
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
0.73
article

Multi‐Chambered Branches of Hollow Nanoreactors Drive Spatiotemporal Regulation of * CO Intermediate for Efficient CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photoreduction

Jiaqi Zhu, Xianghua Kong, Yong‐Ho Ra, Zewen Wu, Zhenhuai Yang, Xiaowu Gao, Jiecai Han, Kesheng Guo, Yongjie Wang, Ziwei Zhao
article en
2 citations

Abstract

The high-calorific value and gas infrastructure compatibility of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) position it as a key target in artificial CO<sub>2</sub> photoreduction. However, the challenge of manipulating the surface coverage of <sup>*</sup>CO intermediate on catalysts significantly impedes the efficiency and selectivity of CH<sub>4</sub> production during the eight-electron reduction process. Here, a hollow nanoreactor (HoNR) photocatalyst (hS-ZnSe/CdSe) with multi-chambered branches is demonstrated, achieving efficient and selective CH<sub>4</sub> production under visible light. In situ DRIFTS reveals that the branched mesoporous shell can effectively regulate the dispersion and concentration of <sup>*</sup>CO intermediate, thereby promoting methoxy (<sup>*</sup>CH<sub>3</sub>O) formation, which is a significantly kinetic determinant of CH<sub>4</sub> generation. The HoNR photocatalyst demonstrates a superior CH<sub>4</sub> production of 215.5 µmol·g<sup>-1</sup>·h<sup>-1</sup> with an electron selectivity of 92%, which surpasses most state-of-the-art photocatalysts, especially without using any noble metal cocatalyst. Moreover, the relationship between intermediate diffusion kinetics and final product selectivity in complex geometries cavities is quantitatively established via systematic simulation. This work revolutionarily leverages chamber-branched topological architectures to drive spatiotemporally coupled cascade reactions, establishing a potential paradigm for achieving high-efficiency photocatalysis.

Advanced MaterialsVol. 38(5)
Shenzhen University (CN), Harbin Institute of Technology (CN), Ji Hua Laboratory (CN), Guangdong Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing (CN), Jeonbuk National University (KR)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Guangdong Science and Technology Department, Shenzhen University, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
0.73
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