A living photocatalyst derived from CaCu3Ti4O_(12) for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol at atmospheric pressure

摘要

Currently, the direct photocatalytic transformation of gaseous CO2 and H2 into renewable methanol is attracting great attention. The research on this topic has rapidly grown in recent years, but very few photocatalysts have yet to be discovered to enable CO2 hydro-genation to methanol at ambient pressures. Therefore, further exploring and designing materials that have efficient and stable performance for this purpose still pose a significant challenge. Herein, a photocatalyst, CaCu3Ti4O_(12), is discovered that enables CO2 hydro-genation to methanol at atmospheric pressure with performance that can compete with commercial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3. Moreover, CaCu3Ti4O_(12) exhibits pronounced activity under the pressurized conditions required for industrial-scale processes. During CO2 hydrogenation, this methanol photocatalyst acts as a ‘‘storage-and-release device'' able to interconvert reversibly and sustainably between the photoactive Cu/CaTiO3/TiO2 functioning composite catalyst and the precursor CaCu3Ti4O_(12) phase. This discovery inspires creative strategies for the design of sustainable CO2 hydroge-nation to methanol at ambient pressures.