Design of Fe2TiO5-PDA Heterojunction for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction: From Mechanism Research to Virtual–Real Hybrid Chemistry Experimental Teaching Reform

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to produce high-value chemical fuels is a research hotspot for sustainable development, yet its integration into undergraduate experimental teaching is hindered by a high risk, high cost, and shortage of large-scale instruments. Herein, a Fe2TiO5–polydopamine (PDA) S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was fabricated via in situ self-polymerization, and its structure, photoelectric properties, and CO2 reduction mechanism were systematically characterized. Under visible light, the heterojunction delivers a CO production rate of 14.1 μmol·g−1·h−1 (6.6 times that of pure Fe2TiO5) with 94.2% cyclic stability. More importantly, this work constructs a virtual–real hybrid experimental teaching mode (virtual simulation pre-training + offline practical verification) for inorganic and environmental chemistry experiments, developing a virtual simulation platform with six modules (laboratory safety, instrument introduction, experimental principle, 3D simulation, virtual assessment, and after-school thinking). This mode solves the teaching bottlenecks of high-risk operation and inaccessible large-scale characterization (in situ XPS and CO2-BET), standardizes experimental operations, and deepens students’ understanding of photocatalytic mechanisms. This study not only provides a high-efficiency photocatalyst for CO2 reduction but also offers a replicable virtual–real integration paradigm for inorganic chemistry experimental teaching reform.