Mesoporous TiO2/SBA-15, and Cu/TiO2/SBA-15 Composite Photocatalysts for Photoreduction of CO2 to Methanol.

A series of mesoporous TiO₂/SBA-15, Cu/TiO₂ and Cu/TiO₂/SBA-15 composite photocatalysts were prepared by sol–gel synthesis for photoreduction of CO₂ with H₂O to methanol. It was found that optimum amount of titanium loading of TiO₂/SBA-15 was 45 wt% which exhibited higher photoreduction activity than pure TiO₂. An addition of copper on TiO₂ or TiO₂/SBA-15 catalyst as cocatalyst was found to enhance the catalytic activity because copper serves as an electron trapper and prohibits the recombination of hole and electron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]