Solar Spectrum Photocatalytic Conversion of CO₂ and Water Vapor Into Hydrocarbons Using TiO₂ Nanoparticle Membranes

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• 作者：Sanju Rani ; Ningzhong Bao ; Somnath C. Roy
• 关键词：TiO2 ; Nano-particle membrane ; CO2 reduction ; Photocatalysis ; Hydrocarbon.
• 刊名：Applied Surface Science
• 出版年：15 January, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：289
• 期：Complete
• 页码：203-208
• 全文大小：1053 K

文摘

A viable option for recycling carbon dioxide is through the sunlight-powered photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ and water vapor into hydrocarbon fuels over highly active nanocatalysts. With photocatalytic CO₂ reduction sunlight, a renewable energy source as durable as the sun, is used to drive the catalytic reaction with the resultant fuel products compatible with the current hydrocarbon-based energy infrastructure. The use of co-catalyst (Cu, Pt)-sensitized TiO₂ nanoparticle wafers in the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ and water vapor to hydrocarbon fuels, with optimal humidity levels and exposure times established. We also attempted to increase product formation by sputtering both co-catalysts on the nanoparticle wafer's surface, with the resulting product rates significantly higher than that of either the Cu or Pt coated samples. When the TiO₂ nanoparticle wafers are used in a flow-through membrane implementation we find a significant increase in product rates of formation, including methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. We believe that nanocatalyst-based flow-through membranes are a viable route for achieving large-scale and low cost photocatalytic solar fuel production.