Photocatalytic conversion CO2 with H2O is potentially a promising approach to recycle CO2 back to hydrocarbon fuels. However, the major hurdles in the development of this emerging technology are the very low conversion efficiency due to a fast recombination rate of electron-hole and limited understanding in the surface chemistry and reaction mechanism. In this work, we have modified TiO2 photocatalysts to improve the CO2 photoreduction efficiency, including the preparation of (1) pure phase TiO2 anatase, ruitle, and brookite as well as mixed phase brookite-containing TiO2 nanocrystals, (2) TiO2 catalysts with surface defects such as oxygen vacancies and Ti3+, (3) Cu deposited and/or iodine doped TiO2 photocatalyts, and (4) Cu/TiO2 with difference Cu valance such as Cu2+, Cu+, and Cu+/Cu0 mixtures. These material innovations were effective to inhibit the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs, promote the harvest of visible light, and facilitate the CO2 activation and reduction. Reaction mechanisms were also investigated by in situ DRIFTS analysis.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O to solar fuels using TiO2-based nanocomposites

245th National Meeting (2013)

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