Thermal and/or Microwave Treatment: Insight into the Preparation of Titania-Based Materials for CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction to Green Chemicals
Iwona Pełech,
Daniel Sibera,
Piotr Staciwa,
Konrad Sobczuk,
Ewelina Kusiak-Nejman,
Agnieszka Wanag,
Antoni W. Morawski,
Kenneth Schneider,
Richard Blom,
Urszula Narkiewicz
Affiliations
Iwona Pełech
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Daniel Sibera
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Piotr Staciwa
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Konrad Sobczuk
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Ewelina Kusiak-Nejman
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Agnieszka Wanag
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Antoni W. Morawski
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Kenneth Schneider
Department of Process Technology, SINTEF Industry, Forskningsveien 1, 0373 Oslo, Norway
Richard Blom
Department of Process Technology, SINTEF Industry, Forskningsveien 1, 0373 Oslo, Norway
Urszula Narkiewicz
Department of Inorganic Chemical Technology and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Pułaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland
Titanium dioxide was synthesized via hydrolysis of titanium (IV) isopropoxide using a sol–gel method, under neutral or basic conditions, and heated in the microwave-assisted solvothermal reactor and/or high-temperature furnace. The phase composition of the prepared samples was determined using the X-ray diffraction method. The specific surface area and pore volumes were determined through low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption studies. The photoactivity of the samples was tested through photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. The composition of the gas phase was analyzed using gas chromatography, and hydrogen, carbon oxide, and methane were identified. The influence of pH and heat treatment on the physicochemical properties of titania-based materials during photoreduction of carbon dioxide have been studied. It was found that the photocatalysts prepared in neutral environment were shown to result in a higher content of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane in the gas phase compared to photocatalysts obtained under basic conditions. The highest amounts of hydrogen were detected in the processes using photocatalysts heated in the microwave reactor, and double-heated photocatalysts.
