Ru‐Co Interface Unlocks Efficient Solar‐Driven CO 2 Conversion into Value‐Added Hydrocarbons under Mild Conditions

Abstract Co‐based catalysts exhibit high activity for C–C coupling in the Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis unit, however, they tend to produce primarily C 1 hydrocarbons (CO or CH 4 ) during CO 2 hydrogenation. Here, a novel 0.04RuCo/MnO‐500 catalyst for photothermocatalytic CO 2 hydrogenation, exhibiting a CO 2 conversion of 65.6% and a value‐added hydrocarbons (C 2+ ) selectivity of 63.2% (excluding CO) under mild conditions is reported. The time‐yield of C 2+ hydrocarbons over 0.04RuCo/MnO‐500 catalyst reaches 8.2 mmol CH2  g cat −1  h −1 , which is 3.0‐fold and 3.3‐fold higher than that of Co/MnO‐500 (2.7 mmol CH2  g cat −1  h −1 ) and 0.04Ru/MnO‐500 (2.5 mmol CH2  g cat −1  h −1 ), respectively. Further investigations disentangle the exceptional performance that should be attributed to the interface sites between Co and Ru within the catalyst. The presence of interfacial sites enhances the ability of the catalyst to adsorb and activate intermediate (*CO) produced during CO 2 hydrogenation, achieving low CO selectivity and promoting the production of value‐added hydrocarbons with high CO 2 conversion. This work presents a novel approach to developing the Ru/Co catalyst for directly converting CO 2 into value‐added hydrocarbons through photothermocatalytic hydrogenation, realizing the demand for sustainable energy sources.