Photocatalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide with High Selectivity to Methanol at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

Summary The production of solar methanol, directly from gaseous CO 2 and H 2 , is important for the development of a sustainable energy economy. Despite growing activity in the field, very few photocatalysts exist that can efficiently and stably hydrogenate gaseous CO 2 to methanol at ambient pressure with high selectivity. Here, we report that a defect-laden indium oxide, In 2 O 3−x (OH) y , with a rod-like nanocrystal superstructure, can photocatalyze the hydrogenation of CO 2 to methanol with 50% selectivity under simulated solar irradiation. Notably, the solar methanol production of the In 2 O 3−x (OH) y nanocrystal superstructures can be stabilized at a rate of 0.06 mmol g cat −1 h −1 at atmospheric pressure. This is 120 times higher than that of the best-known photocatalysts. This discovery bodes well for the development of a low-pressure solar methanol process using CO 2 and renewable H 2 feedstocks.