Engineering d-band states of(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)material for photocatalytic syngas production

The d-band states of catalytic materials participate in adsorbing reactive intermediate species and determine the catalytic behaviors in CO_(2)reduction reactions.However,surface d-band states relating to the photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction reactions behaviors are rarely concerned.Herein,a slightly amount of Cd^(2+)is decorated on the surface of(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)material(Cd^(2+)/(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4))to tune the surface d-band states for improved CO_(2)+2reduction reactions.The Cd/(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)is fabricated via the facile ions-exchange method to make that slightly Zn2+is substituted by Cd^(2+).The Cd^(2+)/(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)exhibits much enhanced photocatalytic activity in CO_(2)reduction reactions to produce CO and water splitting to produce H_(2).Physical characterizations show that the energy band structure is not changed obviously.Density functional theory reveals that Cd^(2+)/(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)possesses a closer shift of d-band center to Fermi level than(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4),suggesting easier adsorption of CO_(2)reduction reactive intermediates after Cd^(2+)decoration.Further calculations confirm that a relatively reduced adsorption Gibbs energy of reactive intermediates in CO_(2)reduction reaction is required on Zn atoms in Cd^(2+)/(CuGa)_(x)Zn_(1-2x)Ga_(2)S_(4)material,benefiting the photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction reactions.This work engineers surface d-band states by surface Cd^(2+)decoration,which gives an effective strategy to design highly efficient photocatalysts for syngas production.