Abstract
Photothermal CO(2) conversion to ethanol offers a sustainable solution for achieving net-zero carbon management. However, serious carrier recombination and high C-C coupling energy barrier cause poor performance in ethanol generation. Here, we report a Cu/Cu(2)Se-Cu(2)O heterojunction-nanosheet array, showcasing a good ethanol yield under visible-near-infrared light without external heating. The Z-scheme Cu(2)Se-Cu(2)O heterostructure provides spatially separated sites for CO(2) reduction and water oxidation with boosted carrier transport efficiency. The microreactors induced by Cu(2)Se nanosheets improve the local concentration of intermediates (CH(3)* and CO*), thereby promoting C-C coupling process. Photothermal effect of Cu(2)Se nanosheets elevates system's temperature to around 200 (°)C. Through synergizing electron and heat flows, we achieve an ethanol generation rate of 149.45 µmol g(-1) h(-1), with an electron selectivity of 48.75% and an apparent quantum yield of 0.286%. Our work can serve as inspiration for developing photothermal catalysts for CO(2) conversion into multi-carbon chemicals using solar energy.