Efficient capture and conversion of low-concentration CO₂ from industrial flue gas into high-value chemicals is one of the key challenges for achieving carbon reduction and resource utilization. In this work, an amino-functionalization strategy was innovatively employed to successfully graft tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) onto the surface of the layered bismuth-based photocatalyst Bi₄NbO₈Cl (BNOC), constructing a novel photocatalytic system with dual Lewis acid–base sites (BNOC-TEPAx). Under visible light and even natural sunlight, this catalyst can directly convert CO₂ at a concentration of only 15% in simulated industrial flue gas into high-value cyclic carbonates under ambient conditions. Experimental results and DFT calculations collectively indicate that the terminal primary amines provided by TEPA serve as Lewis base sites, significantly enhancing CO₂ adsorption and activation, while the abundant coordinative Bi sites in BNOC act as Lewis acid centers, effectively promoting epoxide activation. Moreover, the Bi–N coordination-induced interfacial polarization field greatly improves the separation and migration efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. In outdoor experiments scaled up by a factor of 100, BNOC-TEPA₃₀ achieved a production rate of 4.45 mmol·g^‒1·h^‒1 under natural sunlight and flowing simulated flue gas, demonstrating promising industrial application potential. This study provides a new catalyst design strategy for the integrated “capture–conversion” of low-concentration industrial flue gas CO₂.
The work titled “Outdoor Sunlight Driven CO₂ Capture and Cycloaddition from Flowing Simulated Industrial Flue Gas Using Amino Functionalized Bismuth Catalysts”, was published in Advanced Powder Materials (Available online on 28 January 2026).
DOI：10.1016/j.apmate.2026.100405