Spinel Cu-Mn-Cr oxide nanoparticles were tested for photothermal catalysis. These nanoparticles exhibited 35% more catalysis of methylene blue under sunlight than the current widely adopted photocatalyst TiO2. The spinel nanoparticles have smaller bandgaps (&lt;1.4 eV) than TiO2, enabling them to utilize more solar energy. They demonstrated high light absorbance across the entire visible light spectrum and parts of the infrared spectrum; most other photocatalysts are only absorb high energy light, such as UV. Moreover, the spinel nanoparticles demonstrated great thermal properties, with a rate of energy absorption 87% higher than TiO2, leading to high temperatures and thermal assistance of catalysis. Their thermal properties and broad-spectrum absorbance enable spinel Cu-Mn-Cr oxide nanoparticles to efficiently catalyze reactions using solar radiation.

Spinel nanoparticles for visible light photothermal catalysis

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