Efficient Visible‐Light Driven Photothermal Conversion of CO2 to Methane by Nickel Nanoparticles Supported on Barium Titanate

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 31; no. 8
• Main Authors: Mateo, Diego, Morlanes, Natalia, Maity, Partha, Shterk, Genrikh, Mohammed, Omar F., Gascon, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Barium titanates; Carbon dioxide; Catalysis; Catalysts; Materials science; Methanation; Methane; Nanoparticles; Nickel; photothermal catalysis; Photothermal conversion; Selectivity; solar fuels
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202008244

Solar‐driven methanation represents a potentially cost‐efficient and environmentally friendly route for the direct hydrogenation of CO2. Recently, photothermal catalysis, which involves the combination of both photochemical and thermochemical pathways, has emerged as a promising strategy for the production of solar fuels. For a photothermal catalyst to efficiently convert CO2 under illumination, in the absence of external heating, effective light harvesting, an excellent photothermal conversion and efficient active sites are required. Here, a new composite catalyst consisting of Ni nanoparticles supported on barium titanate that, under optimal reaction conditions, is able to hydrogenate CO2 to CH4 at nearly 100% selectivity with production rates as high as 103.7 mmol g–1 h–1 under both UV–visible and visible irradiation (production rate: 40.3 mmol g−1 h–1) is reported. Mechanistic studies suggest that reaction mostly proceeds through a nonthermal hot‐electron‐driven pathway, with a smaller thermal contribution. The present paper reports complete photothermal CO2 conversion to methane using a new composite catalyst based on Ni nanoparticles supported on barium titanate. Under optimal conditions, the photocatalyst displays an outstanding CH4 production rate of 103.7 mmol g−1 h−1 derived from its excellent photothermal performance and light harvesting properties.