<h3>Title</h3>
<h3>Plasmonic Metal Nitrides for Transforming CO<sub>2</sub> to CO using Solar Energy</h3>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Abstract</span> :</strong></p>
<p>Metal nitrides are evolving as promising photocatalysts owing to their exquisite plasmonic features. Recently, Molybdenum nitrides (MoN) nanosheets show plasmonic behavior that allowed the material as a light harvester. We are searching for various stable, and good lightharvesting metal nitrides, that are highly active and selective for CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation reactions.</p>
<p>In this work, we have designed and synthesized nanosheets of Nickel Nitride (Ni<sub>3</sub>N) using the solvothermal process. Material characterizations were carried out using various techniques such as SEM, TEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS, UV-DRS, N<sub>2</sub> sorption etc. It has a broad optical spectrum and absorbs well in the visible region. EELS spectroscopy indicated the plasmonic character of the material. Ni<sub>3</sub>N was then studied for CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation to CO using hydrogen under light. The photocatalytic CO production rate was (713 ± 40 mmol g<sup>-1</sup> h <sup>-1</sup> ) with 100 % CO selectivity. Notably, the reaction was carried out in a flow reactor at low temperature (50-110 °C) and atmospheric pressure without external heating. Linear dependence of CO production rate on light intensity indicated the non-thermal hot-electron mediated CO<sub>2</sub> reduction. Fe<sup>3+</sup> to Fe<sup>2+</sup> one-electron reduction reaction also indicated electron transfer mechanism. Operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) showed that CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation took place by direct dissociation path via linearly bonded Ni-CO intermediates.</p>
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