Titania Stabilized Cuprous Oxide Photocatalyst for the reduction of Carbon Dioxide
Research Mentor(s)
Rider, David A. (Materials scientist)
Description
The solar-powered production of value-added chemicals from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) is a viable pathway to renewable energy. The catalytic activity and specificity of gold nanoparticle (Au NP) seeded, cuprous (I) oxide (Cu2O) thin films for the reduction of CO2 is investigated using photo-electrochemistry. The photocatalytic electrode is fabricated by first loading Au NPs using a block copolymer template of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) on to indium tin oxide (ITO). Then highly active Cu2O is electrodeposited by bulk electrolysis using an electrochemical deposition condition of constant current. The Au NPs act as nucleation sites form and control the size of the Cu2O. The addition of the Au NPs not only increases the surface area to volume ratio of the Cu2O, but also harnesses the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of the NPs for increased photon absorbance. A thin titanium oxide (TiO2) coating is then applied via vapor phase surface functionalization and sol-gel method to protect against photocathodic degradation of the Cu2O typical in electrolyte solutions.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
16-5-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
16-5-2018 12:00 PM
Department
Chemistry
Genre/Form
student projects, posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Carbon dioxide mitigation; Renewable energy sources
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Titania Stabilized Cuprous Oxide Photocatalyst for the reduction of Carbon Dioxide
The solar-powered production of value-added chemicals from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) is a viable pathway to renewable energy. The catalytic activity and specificity of gold nanoparticle (Au NP) seeded, cuprous (I) oxide (Cu2O) thin films for the reduction of CO2 is investigated using photo-electrochemistry. The photocatalytic electrode is fabricated by first loading Au NPs using a block copolymer template of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) on to indium tin oxide (ITO). Then highly active Cu2O is electrodeposited by bulk electrolysis using an electrochemical deposition condition of constant current. The Au NPs act as nucleation sites form and control the size of the Cu2O. The addition of the Au NPs not only increases the surface area to volume ratio of the Cu2O, but also harnesses the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of the NPs for increased photon absorbance. A thin titanium oxide (TiO2) coating is then applied via vapor phase surface functionalization and sol-gel method to protect against photocathodic degradation of the Cu2O typical in electrolyte solutions.