Photocatalytic Conversion of Bicarbonate into Formate by a CeO2-SnO2 Hybrid Synthesyzed via a Novel Greener Method

Resumo

Emissions of CO₂ into the atmosphere due to fossil fuel burning are the main cause of global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions will have to be net-zero sometime between 2040 and 2060 in order to keep the global temperature rise in the 1.5-2.0°C range as stipulated by the Paris agreement of 2015. The development of technologies that assist in CO₂  capture and utilization (CCU) is therefore an important challenge in the current global scenario. In this work, we have synthesized and characterized a CeO₂-SnO₂ hybrid material via a novel, greener method, that showed photocatalytic activity in converting aqueous bicarbonate into formate. The catalyst was able to produce approximately 7, 14 and 16 mg of formate in 450 mL of a 0.1 M aqueous bicarbonate solution in respective UV-VIS irradiation times of 6, 24 and 48h. This corresponds to about 3, 6 and 7.5% conversion efficiency of inorganic carbon into organic carbon, respectively.