Dual-active-center in Co doping LiNbO₃ for enhanced CO₂ photoreduction in pure water

Photocatalysis techniques for converting CO₂ into valuable chemicals driven by solar irradiation has drawn increasing attention. While many photocatalysts often generate by-products that pose challenges for the subsequent synthesis of more complex products. Therefore, designing catalysts with both high selectivity and activity has become a critical issue. Our study reveals that the formation of dual-active-center in Co doping LiNbO₃ (Co-LN) photocatalyst greatly improves the yield and selectivity of CO in photoreduction of CO₂ in pure water at room temperature without requiring additional sacrificial agents. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy together with some in-situ measurement techniques and theoretical calculations reveal that the dual-active-center of oxygen vacancy and Co-dopant stabilizes the *CO₂ and *CO intermediates, respectively, which regulates the rate-limiting step and facilitates the high activity and selectivity. This research will stimulate in-depth research on the use of efficient niobate materials for the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂.