The Photocatalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Fuels Using Titanium Dioxide Nanosheets/Graphene Oxide Heterostructure as Photocatalyst
Apisit Karawek,
Kittipad Kittipoom,
Labhassiree Tansuthepverawongse,
Nutkamol Kitjanukit,
Wannisa Neamsung,
Napat Lertthanaphol,
Prowpatchara Chanthara,
Sakhon Ratchahat,
Poomiwat Phadungbut,
Pattaraporn Kim-Lohsoontorn,
Sira Srinives
Affiliations
Apisit Karawek
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Kittipad Kittipoom
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Labhassiree Tansuthepverawongse
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Nutkamol Kitjanukit
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Wannisa Neamsung
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Napat Lertthanaphol
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Prowpatchara Chanthara
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Sakhon Ratchahat
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Poomiwat Phadungbut
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Pattaraporn Kim-Lohsoontorn
Center of Excellence on Catalysis and Catalytic Reaction Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Sira Srinives
Nanocomposite Engineering Laboratory (NanoCEN), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Carbon dioxide (CO2) photoreduction to high-value products is a technique for dealing with CO2 emissions. The method involves the molecular transformation of CO2 to hydrocarbon and alcohol-type chemicals, such as methane and methanol, relying on a photocatalyst, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2). In this research, TiO2 nanosheets (TNS) were synthesized using a hydrothermal technique in the presence of a hydrofluoric acid (HF) soft template. The nanosheets were further composited with graphene oxide and doped with copper oxide in the hydrothermal process to create the copper−TiO2 nanosheets/graphene oxide (CTNSG). The CTNSG exhibited outstanding photoactivity in converting CO2 gas to methane and acetone. The production rate for methane and acetone was 12.09 and 0.75 µmol h−1 gcat−1 at 100% relative humidity, providing a total carbon consumption of 71.70 µmol gcat−1. The photoactivity of CTNSG was attributed to the heterostructure interior of the two two−dimensional nanostructures, the copper−TiO2 nanosheets and graphene oxide. The nanosheets−graphene oxide interfaces served as the n−p heterojunctions in holding active radicals for subsequent reactions. The heterostructure also directed the charge transfer, which promoted electron−hole separation in the photocatalyst.
