Bi‐ and Y‐codoped TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized through a sol‐gel method, and they were applied in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formic acid under visible light irradiation. The results revealed that, after doping Bi and Y, the surface area of TiO2 was increased from 5.4 to 93.1 m2/g when the mole fractions of doping Bi and Y were 1.0% and 0.5%, respectively, and the lattice structures of the photocatalysts changed and the oxygen vacancies on the surface of the photocatalysts formed, which would act as the electron capture centers and slow down the recombination of photo‐induced electron and hole. The photocurrent spectra also proved that the photocatalysts had better electronic transmission capacities. The HCOOH yield in CO2 photocatalytic reduction was 747.82 μmol/gcat by using 1% Bi‐0.5% Y‐TiO2 as a photocatalyst. The HCOOH yield was 1.17 times higher than that by using 1% Bi‐TiO2, and 2.23 times higher than that by using pure TiO2. Furthermore, the 1% Bi‐0.5% Y‐TiO2 showed the highest apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 4.45%.

ZnO and Zr-modified ZnO were prepared using a precipitation method and used for the selective oxidation of cinnamaldehyde to benzaldehyde in the present study. The results showed that physicochemical properties of ZnO were significantly affected by the calcination temperature, and calcination of ZnO at 400 °C demonstrated the optimum catalytic activity for the selective oxidation of cinnamaldehyde to benzaldehyde. With 0.01 g ZnO calcined at 400 °C for 2 h as a catalyst, 8.0 g ethanol and 2.0 g cinnamaldehyde reacted at an oxygen pressure of 1.0 MPa and 70 °C for 60 min, resulting in benzaldehyde selectivity of 69.2% and cinnamaldehyde conversion of 16.1%. Zr was the optimal modifier for ZnO: when Zr-modified ZnO was used as the catalyst, benzaldehyde selectivity reached 86.2%, and cinnamaldehyde conversion was 17.6%. The X-ray diffractometer and N2 adsorption–desorption characterization indicated that doping with Zr could reduce the crystallite size of ZnO (101) and increase the specific surface area of the catalyst, which provided more active sites for the reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectrometer results showed that Zr-doping could exchange the electrons with ZnO and reduce the electron density in the outer layer of Zn, which would further affect benzaldehyde selectivity. The results of CO2 temperature-programmed desorption showed that Zr-modification enhanced the alkalinity of the catalyst surface, which caused the Zr–ZnO catalyst to exhibit higher catalytic activity.