Enhanced Photocatalytic CO ₂ Reduction Through Interfacial Microenvironmental Optimization on ZIF‐67

ABSTRACT

The microenvironment surrounding the active sites on catalysts is vital for their catalytic performance. In this study, we enhance the photocatalytic activity of ZIF‐67 in CO ₂ reduction by optimizing its microenvironment through a combination of low‐temperature calcination of the catalyst and regulation of solvent composition. The calcination not only exposes more active metal sites but also enhances the separation efficiency of photo‐excited carriers. Furthermore, dimethyl sulfoxide boosts the syngas production through tuning the hydrogen bond strength of the reaction solvent system. After the microenvironment optimization, ZIF‐67‐C250 exhibits an impressive solar syngas production rate of 128.5 mmol g ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ from CO ₂ photoreduction, outperforming the reported metal–organic frameworks. This strategic optimization of the microenvironment undoubtedly lays the groundwork for the development of low‐cost and highly efficient photocatalysts.