article · Energies
This research outlines the fabrication of a ternary composite photocatalyst designed to convert carbon dioxide into methane under visible light. The material integrates reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and gold nanoparticles onto titanium dioxide nanotube arrays using electrochemical deposition and immersion techniques. Testing revealed that this composite achieved a methane yield of 35.13 ppm per square centimetre after four hours of illumination, outperforming unmodified nanotube arrays as well as binary variations containing only gold or reduced graphene oxide. The enhanced performance stems from the cooperative effects of the components. Gold nanoparticles boost the absorption of visible light via surface plasmon resonance, while the reduced graphene oxide layers facilitate electron transport to improve charge separation. These findings demonstrate an effective composite architecture for solar-driven fuel generation.
Converting atmospheric carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels using sunlight provides a dual benefit: it generates renewable energy while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Improving photocatalytic efficiency under visible light is a major hurdle in this field. By combining gold nanoparticles and graphene with nanotube arrays, this study demonstrates a functional material design that boosts the conversion of carbon dioxide into useful methane.
This work is relevant to developers of renewable synthetic fuels and carbon capture and utilisation technologies. The study represents early-stage laboratory research focused on material fabrication and testing under visible light. Real-world application would require scaling up synthesis methods, evaluating catalyst durability, and testing gas conversion rates beyond small-scale experimental settings, meaning it remains several stages away from industrial adoption.
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Photocatalytic CO2 reduction into hydrocarbon fuels is one of the most efficient processes since it serves as a renewable energy source while also lowering atmospheric CO2 levels. The development of appropriate materials and technology to attain greater yield in CO2 photoreduction is one of the key issues facing the 21st century. This study successfully fabricated novel ternary reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/Au-TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) photocatalysts to promote CO2 photoreduction to CH4. Visible light-responsive RGO/Au-TNTAs composite was synthesized by facile electrochemical deposition of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and immersion of RGO nanosheets onto TNTAs. The synthesized composite has been thoroughly investigated by FESEM, HR-TEM, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, UV-Vis DRS, and PL analyzer to explain structural and functional performance. Under the source of visible light, the maximum yield of CH4 was attained at 35.13 ppm/cm2 for the RGO/Au-TNTAs composite photocatalyst after 4 h, which was considerably higher by a wide margin than that of pure TNTAs, Au-TNTAs and RGO-TNTAs. The CO2 photoreduction of the RGO/Au-TNTAs composite has been improved due to the combined effects of Au NPs and RGO. Due to its surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) mechanism, Au NPs play a crucial role in the absorption of visible light. Additionally, the middle RGO layers serve as effective electron transporters, facilitating better separation of electron-hole pairs. The newly constructed composite would be a promising photocatalyst for future photocatalytic applications in other fields.
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DOI: 10.3390/en16145404
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