Enhancing Photocatalytic Activity of Zno Via Natural Mineral-Driven Polarization for Co2  Reduction

Abstract

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction offers a sustainable route to mitigate climate change, yet inefficient charge separation in conventional catalysts hinders practical application. Herein, ZnO/Elbaite composite photocatalyst was developed through electrostatic self-assembly, where ZnO nanoparticles are uniformly anchored on naturally self-polarized elbaite. TEM and XPS analyses confirm strong interfacial interaction and electron transfer between ZnO and elbaite. The ZnO/Elbaite composite achieves a CO yield of 31.7 μmol/gZnO/h without sacrificial agents and photosensitizers, which was 11.3 times greater than that of pure ZnO catalyst (2.8 μmol/gZnO/h), meanwhile the CO selectivity of the product was as high as 93.4%. Repeated experiments have shown that the catalyst exhibits good cycling stability. Mechanistic studies reveal that elbaite’s self-polarization generates a built-in electric field, effectively separating photogenerated charges and enhancing surface photovoltage. This work highlights the untapped potential of natural polarized minerals in designing efficient photocatalysts, providing a green and scalable strategy for solar-driven CO₂ conversion.

Keywords: ZnO, Elbaite, Photocatalytic CO2 reduction, Polarized electric fields