Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) Heterojunction Interface Promoted Methanol and Ethanol Generation from CO(2) and H(2)O under UV–Vis Light Irradiation

[Image: see text] Adopting the concurrent reduction of Cu(2)O during hydrothermal preparation of ZnV(2)O(4), metal–semiconductor heterojunction Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) nanorods were synthesized and applied to the catalytic generation of methanol and ethanol from CO(2) aerated water under UV–vis light irradiation. 10Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) obtained from 10 wt % composite amount of Cu(2)O exhibited a total carbon yield of 6.49 μmol·g(–1)·h(–1). The yield of CH(3)OH and C(2)H(5)OH reached 3.30 and 0.86 μmol·g(–1)·h(–1), respectively. 2.5Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) displayed the highest ethanol yield of 1.58 μmol·g(–1)·h(–1) due to the strong absorption in the visible light. Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, transient photocurrent response, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results showed that composite Cu(0)-ZnV(2)O(4) increased the surface area and tuned the energy band position, which matches the reaction potential toward methanol and ethanol. The photocatalytic activity toward CH(3)OH and C(2)H(5)OH on Cu/ZnV(2)O(4) is attributed to faster transmission and a slow recombination rate of photogenerated carriers at the heterojunction interface. Multielectron reactions for the production of CH(3)OH and C(2)H(5)OH are promoted. Free radical capture experiments indicated that the active species boost the reaction in the order of (•)OH > e(–) > h(+).