Interface engineering on single-atom Cu-modified BiOBr_1−xCl_x for efficient artificial photosynthesis of methanol

Converting CO₂ into value-added fuels was an attractive way to alleviate the energy crisis. Cu-based catalysts were recognized as the most effective candidates for catalyzing CO₂ to solar fuels due to their specific electronic structure. However, selective production of desired fuels from photocatalytic CO₂ reduction remained a grand challenge. Herein, the interface engineering of single-atom Cu with BiOBr_1−xCl_x nanosheets (Cu-SA/BOBC) was demonstrated to address this challenge. The single-atom Cu in BOBC favored charge transition, carrier separation, and photon utilization, with a superior performance of CO₂ photoreduction yielding CH₃OH of 8.21 μmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹, 94.3 % electron-based CH₃OH selectivity. Meanwhile, it could lower the CO₂ activation energy barrier, and be conducive to strong CO* adsorption and subsequent hydrogenation of CO* to CHO*, which was critical for the high selectivity of CH₃OH. This work highlighted a new insight into regulating the photoreduction of CO₂ to CH₃OH by interfacial interaction.