Low temperature sunlight‐powered reduction of CO2 to CO using a plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanocatalyst
article
Sunlight-powered reduction of CO2to fuels and chemicals is apromising strategy to close the carbon loop and facilitate theenergy transition. In this research, we demonstrate that Aunanoparticles supported on TiO2are an efficient plasmoniccatalyst for the sunlight-powered reverse water-gas shift (rWGS)reaction. A maximum CO production rate of429 mmol ·gAu 1·h 1with a selectivity of 98% and an apparentquantum efficiency of 4.7% were achieved using mildlyconcentrated sunlight (1.44 W·cm 2equals 14.4 sun). The COproduction rate showed an exponential increase with increasinglight intensity, suggesting that the process is mainly promotedby a photothermal effect. Thermal reference experiments withthe same catalysts promoted CH4formation, dropping the COselectivity to 70%. Thus, mildly concentrated sunlight canefficiently and selectively enhance the promotion of the rWGSreaction without using external heating.
TNO Identifier
959047
ISSN
18673880
Source
ChemCatChem, 13
Publisher
Wiley Blackwell
Collation
8 p.