Quenching‐Derived Pt Clusters on Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 p‐n Heterojunctions Enable Efficient Phototherma
Jin Yang, Yifei Li, Yanan Chong, Changchun Ye, Xiaojing Jin, Shumin Liu, Jiajin Lin, Mingjie Zhong, Yongcai Qiu, Daiqi Ye, Guangxu ChenABSTRACT
Photothermal catalysis provides an effective strategy to overcome the high energy consumption of thermal catalysis and the low efficiency of photocatalysis; however, inefficient charge separation and limited O 2 activation remain key challenges. Herein, a p‐n heterojunction oxide support, Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 , was constructed and decorated with Pt species via a quenching method. The resulting Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 ‐Q‐Pt catalyst achieved toluene conversion exceeding 90% within 38 min under light irradiation at 522 mW cm − 2 , significantly outperforming single‐component oxide‐supported catalysts. The catalyst exhibited excellent photothermal stability and strong resistance to water vapor and mixed volatile organic compound (VOC) conditions. Structural characterization revealed that Co 3 O 4 incorporation reduced TiO 2 crystallinity while enhancing lattice‐oxygen mobility, redox capability, and light absorption, even at low Co 3 O 4 contents. Moreover, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements showed enhanced generation of •OH and •O 2 − species under illumination, consistent with improved photoinduced redox activity. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) showed suppression of the accumulation of partial‐oxidation intermediates and promotion of the formation of benzoate and maleic anhydride species, thereby facilitating aromatic ring cleavage and deep mineralization of toluene.