Science Daily June 21, 2021
AgIO3 is useful for the CO2 reduction reaction. However, it needs much higher energy than what visible light can provide to function as an efficient photocatalyst. Researchers in Japan developed a new photocatalyst that incorporates single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with AgIO3 and AgI to form a three-component composite catalyst which solve both the synthesis and the electron transfer pathway problems. Spectroscopic observations using the composite showed that during the synthesis process, the encapsulated iodine molecules received charge from the SWCNT and converted into specific ions. They reacted with AgNO3 to form AgI and AgIO3 microcrystals, which were deposited on all the SWCNTs uniformly. Experimental analysis with simulated solar light revealed that the SWCNTs also acted as the conductive pathway through which photoexcited electrons moved from AgI to AgIO3, enabling the efficient reduction of CO2 to carbon monoxide. The composite can be spray-coated on a thin film polymer to yield flexible photocatalytic electrodes that are versatile and can be used in various applications…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Schematic picture of the synthesis procedure of the three-component composite of AgI, AgIO3, and SWCNTs… Credit: Scientific Reports volume 11, Article number: 10140 (2021)Â