Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts
The photocatalytic reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> into solar fuel is considered a promising approach to solving the energy crisis and mitigating the environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emission. Some powder photocatalysts have been demonstrated as effi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/4990 |
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| author | Matteo Tommasi Francesco Conte Mohammad Imteyaz Alam Gianguido Ramis Ilenia Rossetti |
| author_facet | Matteo Tommasi Francesco Conte Mohammad Imteyaz Alam Gianguido Ramis Ilenia Rossetti |
| author_sort | Matteo Tommasi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The photocatalytic reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> into solar fuel is considered a promising approach to solving the energy crisis and mitigating the environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emission. Some powder photocatalysts have been demonstrated as efficient, but their drifting properties, along with difficult separation (catalyst and product), make continuous mode reaction very challenging, particularly in the liquid phase. In order to make this process commercially viable and economically more efficient, we have developed a simple and scalable method for immobilizing TiO<sub>2</sub> P25 over the surface of glass slides using an organic-based surfactant. Improved adhesion properties and the homogeneous dispersion of catalyst nanoparticles were achieved. A holder was designed with 3D printing technology in such a way that it can hold up to six slides that can be dipped simultaneously into the suspension or solution of desired materials for a uniform and homogeneous deposition. The resulting surfaces of the dip-coated materials (e.g., TiO<sub>2</sub> P25) were further modified by adding metallic nanoparticles and thoroughly characterized via XRD, DRS UV–Vis, SEM, and SEM–EDX. Photocatalytic tests have been performed for two major applications, viz., hydrogen production via the photoreforming of glucose and the photoreduction of CO<sub>2</sub> into different solar fuels. The latter tests were performed in a specially designed, high-pressure reactor with Ag/P25 supported catalysts, which exhibited about three times higher formic acid productivity (ca. 20 mol/kg<sub>cat</sub> h) compared to the dispersed catalyst, with enhanced stability and recoverability. It is to note that catalysts deposited on the glass slides can easily be recovered and the materials did not show any weight loss. To the best of our knowledge, the obtained formic acid productivity is highest among the published literature. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:43:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb56fb46fd6e400f89a8f39461aac850 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:43:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb56fb46fd6e400f89a8f39461aac8502023-11-18T16:28:47ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-06-011613499010.3390/en16134990Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported CatalystsMatteo Tommasi0Francesco Conte1Mohammad Imteyaz Alam2Gianguido Ramis3Ilenia Rossetti4Chemical Plants and Industrial Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, ItalyChemical Plants and Industrial Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, ItalyINSTM Unit Milano-Università, Via C. Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, ItalyDICCA, Università degli Studi di Genova, Via all’Opera Pia 15A, 16145 Genoa, ItalyChemical Plants and Industrial Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, ItalyThe photocatalytic reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> into solar fuel is considered a promising approach to solving the energy crisis and mitigating the environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emission. Some powder photocatalysts have been demonstrated as efficient, but their drifting properties, along with difficult separation (catalyst and product), make continuous mode reaction very challenging, particularly in the liquid phase. In order to make this process commercially viable and economically more efficient, we have developed a simple and scalable method for immobilizing TiO<sub>2</sub> P25 over the surface of glass slides using an organic-based surfactant. Improved adhesion properties and the homogeneous dispersion of catalyst nanoparticles were achieved. A holder was designed with 3D printing technology in such a way that it can hold up to six slides that can be dipped simultaneously into the suspension or solution of desired materials for a uniform and homogeneous deposition. The resulting surfaces of the dip-coated materials (e.g., TiO<sub>2</sub> P25) were further modified by adding metallic nanoparticles and thoroughly characterized via XRD, DRS UV–Vis, SEM, and SEM–EDX. Photocatalytic tests have been performed for two major applications, viz., hydrogen production via the photoreforming of glucose and the photoreduction of CO<sub>2</sub> into different solar fuels. The latter tests were performed in a specially designed, high-pressure reactor with Ag/P25 supported catalysts, which exhibited about three times higher formic acid productivity (ca. 20 mol/kg<sub>cat</sub> h) compared to the dispersed catalyst, with enhanced stability and recoverability. It is to note that catalysts deposited on the glass slides can easily be recovered and the materials did not show any weight loss. To the best of our knowledge, the obtained formic acid productivity is highest among the published literature.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/4990CO<sub>2</sub> photoreductionphotoreformingformic acidphotosynthesisphotocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> productiondip coating |
| spellingShingle | Matteo Tommasi Francesco Conte Mohammad Imteyaz Alam Gianguido Ramis Ilenia Rossetti Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts Energies CO<sub>2</sub> photoreduction photoreforming formic acid photosynthesis photocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> production dip coating |
| title | Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts |
| title_full | Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts |
| title_fullStr | Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts |
| title_short | Highly Efficient and Effective Process Design for High-Pressure CO<sub>2</sub> Photoreduction over Supported Catalysts |
| title_sort | highly efficient and effective process design for high pressure co sub 2 sub photoreduction over supported catalysts |
| topic | CO<sub>2</sub> photoreduction photoreforming formic acid photosynthesis photocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> production dip coating |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/4990 |
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