ETS-10 Modified with Cu_xO Nanoparticles and Their Application for the Conversion of CO₂ and Water into Oxygenates

Photocatalytic reactions to convert CO₂ and H₂O into solar fuels using only solar irradiation have been investigated in this work. For this purpose, titanosilicate ETS-10 was decorated with Cu₂O and CuO nanoparticles and their properties were analyzed by different techniques. The final materials were applied in photoreduction of CO₂ in gas phase under 20 h of solar irradiation. In the final, the products oxygen, acetic acid, formaldehyde and methanol were detected by chromatographic techniques. Photoluminescence and electrochemical studies indicate the interaction between Cu_xO nanoparticles and Ti-O-Ti-O on the surface of ETS-10, corroborating with the results obtained in the photocatalytic experiments. The best CO₂ photoconversion efficiencies into methanol were obtained when using ETS-10/Cu_xO compared to pure ETS-10. Another important finding in this study is the fact that the reactions were carried out in the gas phase and no scavenge donors were employed.

Keywords:
CO₂ photoreduction; ETS-10 photocatalyst; oxygenated products; copper oxide; solar irradiation