Photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction by CH{sub 4} over montmorillonite modified TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites in a continuous monolith photoreactor

Journal Article · Sun Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2014.11.042· OSTI ID:22420822

Tahir, Muhammad ^[1]; Tahir, Beenish ^[1]

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1. Chemical Reaction Engineering Group (CREG)/Low Carbon Energy Group, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM, Skudai, Johor Baharu, Johor (Malaysia)

Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}/MMT supported monolith photo-reactor was tested for CO{sub 2} reduction with CH{sub 4}. • MMT inhibited crystal growth and enhanced TiO{sub 2} photo-activity in monolith reactor. • CO{sub 2} was reduced by CH{sub 4} to CO, CH{sub 3}OH, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, C{sub 3}H{sub 6} and C{sub 3}H{sub 8} in a monolith reactor. • CO yield over TiO{sub 2}/MMT was 237.5 μmol g-catal.{sup −1} h{sup −1}, a 2.52 fold than TiO{sub 2}. • Stability test revealed TiO{sub 2}/MMT partially lost photo-activity in reused cyclic runs. - Abstract: In this study, the performance of montmorillonite (MMT) modified TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites for photocatalytic CO{sub 2} reduction with CH{sub 4} in a continuous monolith photoreactor has been investigated. The MMT modified TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites were dip-coated over monolith channels and were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, N{sub 2}-adsorption–desorption and UV–vis spectroscopy. The MMT produced anatase phase of TiO{sub 2} and reduced TiO{sub 2} crystallite size from 19 nm to 13 nm. CO was the major reduction product with a yield rate of 237.5 μmol g-catal.{sup −1} h{sup −1} over 10 wt.% MMT-loaded TiO{sub 2} at 100 °C, and CO{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} feed ratio 1.0. The photoactivity of MMT-loaded TiO{sub 2} monolithic catalyst was 2.52 times higher than bare TiO{sub 2}. Likewise, low concentrations of C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, C{sub 3}H{sub 6} and C{sub 3}H{sub 8} were detected in the products mixture. These results inferred MMT modified TiO{sub 2} and monolith photoreactor were beneficial for enhancing photocatalysis process with appreciable productivity. The stability test revealed photoactivity of MMT-loaded TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites partially diminished in recycle runs.

• OSTI ID: 22420822
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 63; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ADSORPTION
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYSTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DESORPTION
ETHANE
METHANE
MONTMORILLONITE
NANOCOMPOSITES
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOCATALYSIS
PROPANE
PROPYLENE
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY