Low temperature assisted Ni SACs preparation for efficient diluted CO2 photoreduction

The development of efficient and stable single-atom catalysts (SACs) for CO2 photoreduction is a persistent challenge. This study reports the successful preparation of SACs by incorporating isolated Ni atoms into carbon nanorods through a low-temperature calcination process using nickel bis(dimethylglyoximate) complexes. These Ni atoms, maintaining their original coordination environments, can facilitate charge separation, and enhance CO2 adsorption and activation. The optimized catalyst exhibits a CO formation yield of 24.4 mu mol with similar to 96 % selectivity in high-purity CO2, outperforming both the precursor and pure carbon. Additionally, the Ni SACs showed strong catalytic selectivity in diluted CO2 conditions, with selectivity rates of 82.57 %, 80.35 %, and 61 % at 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 atm, respectively. This work provides critical insights for designing efficient visible light-responsive CO2 photoreduction catalysts at the atomic level.