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Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol over CuFe2O4/TiO2 under visible light irradiation

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Abstract

The present study aims to focus the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol on TiO2 loaded copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) photocatalyst under visible light (500 W xenon lamp) irradiation. In this perspective, CuFe2O4 and CuFe2O4/TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized following the sol–gel method from copper(II) nitrate, Cu(NO3)2·3H2O (99 %) and iron(III) nitrate, Fe(NO3)3·9H2O (99 %) as precursors. The phases and crystallite size of the photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), absorption spectrum by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), electron–hole (e−/h+) recombination process by photoluminescence spectrophotometer, and elemental compositions by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) instruments. The loading of TiO2 on CuFe2O4 enhanced the photocatalytic activity in the visible light range. The enhanced photoactivity in CuFe2O4/TiO2 semiconductor catalyst can be attributed to interfacial transfer of photogenerated charges, which led to effective charge separation and inhibited the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole (e−/h+) pairs. Methanol was observed as the main product over CuFe2O4/TiO2 and the photocatalytic activity of CuFe2O4/TiO2 for CO2 reduction was found to be about three times higher (651 μmol/gcat L) than that of CuFe2O4 photocatalyst which might be due to the modification of band gap through TiO2 loading.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Malaysian Ministry of Education for Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (RDU120112) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang for funding (GRS140330).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

    M. Rahim Uddin, Maksudur R. Khan, M. Wasikur Rahman & Chin Kui Cheng

  2. Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

    Abu Yousuf

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  1. M. Rahim Uddin
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  2. Maksudur R. Khan
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  3. M. Wasikur Rahman
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  4. Abu Yousuf
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  5. Chin Kui Cheng
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Correspondence to Maksudur R. Khan.

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Uddin, M.R., Khan, M.R., Rahman, M.W. et al. Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol over CuFe2O4/TiO2 under visible light irradiation. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 116, 589–604 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-015-0911-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-015-0911-7

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