Combining CuPc with semiconductor materials as organic‒inorganic hybrid photocatalysts can effectively improve the light absorption capacity and separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes in semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, a CuPc/Bi2WO6 Z-scheme heterojunction was successfully designed and used for CO2 photoreduction. The separation of photogenerated electrons and holes is greatly enhanced because of the formation of a compact organic‒inorganic heterointerface and the built-in electric field between CuPc and Bi2WO6, which increases the photocatalytic CO2 reduction efficiency. Moreover, the photosensitizer CuPc can effectively enhance the light absorption of Bi2WO6. The optimal 1CuPc/ Bi2WO6 composite exhibits the best photocatalytic performance, with a CO production rate of 2.95 μmol g− l h− 1, which is three times greater than that of Bi2WO6 under visible-light irradiation. This work provides a new idea for the construction of an organic‒inorganic photocatalytic system for CO2 reduction.

Efficient charge transport and separation in Z-scheme CuPcBi2WO6 for enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction
    Abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Results and discussion
        2.1 Composition, structure, and morphology
        2.2 Surface chemical state
        2.3 Optical absorption property, band structure, and charge separation
        2.4 Photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance
        2.5 Possible photocatalytic mechanism
    3 Conclusions
    4 Experimental section
        4.1 Materials
        4.2 Synthesis of Bi2WO6
        4.3 Synthesis of CuPcBi2WO6 composite
        4.4 Characterization
        4.5 Photoelectrochemical measurements
        4.6 In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy experiments
        4.7 Photocatalytic CO2 reduction
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Zi Hu(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Jundong Meng(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Xinyuan Xu(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Liuyun Chen(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Xuan Luo(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Xinling Xie(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Zuzeng Qin(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China)
• Tongming Su(Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China) Corresponding author