Enhanced Electron-Coupled Proton Transfer in Pt/Bi2MoO6 for Improved Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

The slow rate of electron-coupled proton transfer currently limits the efficiency of photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction. To address this challenge, we utilize Pt-loaded Bi2MoO6 ultrathin nanosheets, prepared via photodeposition, to enhance the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. This approach significantly improves electron-coupled proton transfer efficiency and boosts photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance. With 0.8% platinum loading, the CO and CH4 generation rates reach 60.23 and 130.2 μmol g-1 h-1, respectively, which are 3 times and 2.7 times higher than those of pure Bi2MoO6. The presence of Pt increases the electron density on the photocatalyst surface, facilitating more efficient proton coupling. CO is produced through *COOH protonation, while CH4 is formed via the HCOOH-HCHO-CH3OH-CH4 reaction pathway. This study underscores the critical role of electron-coupled proton transfer in enhancing photocatalytic performance and offers valuable insights for designing more effective CO2 reduction photocatalysts.