Asymmetric‐Coordinated Indium Single Atoms for Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction

ABSTRACT Photocatalytic CO 2 reduction involves multiple proton‐coupled and multi‐electron transfers, leading to a plethora of reaction pathways and consequently unpredictable products. The unique electronic structure and unsaturated coordination environment of single‐atom photocatalysts can influence the reaction pathways of CO 2 photoreduction, enhancing the yield of a target product. Herein, we rationally design the In single‐atom photocatalyst (In‐NTO) containing isolated In δ+ –N 3 O 2 atomic interface sites for highly efficient and selective CO 2 ‐to‐CO photoreduction. This distinctive atomic configuration not only reduces the overall activation energy barrier but also transforms the key *CO desorption step from an endoergic to an exoergic one, thereby altering the reaction pathway to selectively produce CO rather than CH 4 . Consequently, the 0.25 wt% In‐NTO exhibits high selectivity (95.9%) for photocatalytic CO 2 ‐to‐CO conversion, with a rate of 6.34 µmol g −1 h −1 . This work offers a novel strategy for modulating the reactivity and product selectivity of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction toward desired products by constructing single‐atom sites with heteroatomic coordination.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Carbon Energy
Published
2026-01-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/cey2.70166
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Asymmetric‐Coordinated Indium Single Atoms for Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO 2 Reduction

Ning Han, Fengyu Tian, Jiayu Liang, Yaohao Li et al.
Carbon Energy
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Asymmetric‐Coordinated Indium Single Atoms for Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO 2 Reduction

Ning Han, Fengyu Tian, Jiayu Liang, Yaohao Li, Huiwen Zhu, Honglei Zhang, Xuemin Yan
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Photocatalytic CO 2 reduction involves multiple proton‐coupled and multi‐electron transfers, leading to a plethora of reaction pathways and consequently unpredictable products. The unique electronic structure and unsaturated coordination environment of single‐atom photocatalysts can influence the reaction pathways of CO 2 photoreduction, enhancing the yield of a target product. Herein, we rationally design the In single‐atom photocatalyst (In‐NTO) containing isolated In δ+ –N 3 O 2 atomic interface sites for highly efficient and selective CO 2 ‐to‐CO photoreduction. This distinctive atomic configuration not only reduces the overall activation energy barrier but also transforms the key *CO desorption step from an endoergic to an exoergic one, thereby altering the reaction pathway to selectively produce CO rather than CH 4 . Consequently, the 0.25 wt% In‐NTO exhibits high selectivity (95.9%) for photocatalytic CO 2 ‐to‐CO conversion, with a rate of 6.34 µmol g −1 h −1 . This work offers a novel strategy for modulating the reactivity and product selectivity of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction toward desired products by constructing single‐atom sites with heteroatomic coordination.

Carbon Energy
University of Nottingham Ningbo China (CN), Ningbo University of Technology (CN), Yangtze University (CN), University of Toronto (CA), Nano Carbon (Poland) (PL)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 95%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Asymmetric‐Coordinated Indium Single Atoms for Highly Selective Photocatalytic CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction — Ning Han, Fengyu Tian, et al. · Carbon Energy (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS