Rationally designed transition metal hydroxide nanosheet arrays on graphene for artificial CO(2) reduction

The performance of transition metal hydroxides, as cocatalysts for CO(2) photoreduction, is significantly limited by their inherent weaknesses of poor conductivity and stacked structure. Herein, we report the rational assembly of a series of transition metal hydroxides on graphene to act as a cocatalyst ensemble for efficient CO(2) photoreduction. In particular, with the Ru-dye as visible light photosensitizer, hierarchical Ni(OH)(2) nanosheet arrays-graphene (Ni(OH)(2)-GR) composites exhibit superior photoactivity and selectivity, which remarkably surpass other counterparts and most of analogous hybrid photocatalyst system. The origin of such superior performance of Ni(OH)(2)-GR is attributed to its appropriate synergy on the enhanced adsorption of CO(2), increased active sites for CO(2) reduction and improved charge carriers separation/transfer. This work is anticipated to spur rationally designing efficient earth-abundant transition metal hydroxides-based cocatalysts on graphene and other two-dimension platforms for artificial reduction of CO(2) to solar chemicals and fuels.