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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 25, 2026

CO2 Photoreduction to CH4 Performance Under Concentrating Solar Light

CO2 Photoreduction to CH4 Performance Under Concentrating Solar Light

Published on: June 12, 2019

Solar photothermochemical alkane reverse combustion.

Wilaiwan Chanmanee¹, Mohammad Fakrul Islam¹, Brian H Dennis²

¹Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington TX 76019;

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|February 24, 2016

Summary

This study demonstrates a novel photothermocatalytic process converting carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into valuable liquid hydrocarbons. Optimized conditions yield C5+ hydrocarbons, offering a sustainable route for fuel production.

Keywords:

CO2 reduction Fischer–Tropsch photochemistry solar fuel water splitting

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A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments

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Last Updated: Mar 25, 2026

CO2 Photoreduction to CH4 Performance Under Concentrating Solar Light

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Biomass Conversion to Produce Hydrocarbon Liquid Fuel Via Hot-vapor Filtered Fast Pyrolysis and Catalytic Hydrotreating

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A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments

A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments

Published on: October 2, 2012

Area of Science:

Chemical Engineering
Catalysis
Renewable Energy

Background:

Growing demand for sustainable fuel sources.
Need for efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization technologies.
Limitations of existing methods for hydrocarbon synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a one-step, gas-phase photothermocatalytic process for synthesizing hydrocarbons from CO2 and water.
To investigate the influence of temperature, pressure, and reactant ratios on product distribution.
To assess the potential for producing drop-in liquid fuels.

Main Methods:

Utilized a flow photoreactor operating at elevated temperatures (180-200 °C) and pressures (1-6 bar).
Employed a 5% cobalt on titanium dioxide (TiO2) catalyst under UV irradiation.
Conducted a parametric study to optimize reaction conditions.

Main Results:

Successfully synthesized hydrocarbons (alkanes, aromatics, oxygenates) with carbon numbers (Cn) up to C13.
Identified optimal temperatures (>160 °C) and pressures for producing higher Cn products.
Achieved over 13% by mass of C5+ hydrocarbons, including octane, suitable as drop-in fuels.
Detected dioxygen in yields ranging from 64% to 150%.

Conclusions:

The demonstrated photothermocatalytic process offers a direct and potentially cost-effective method for producing liquid hydrocarbons from CO2 and water.
Further development with solar-spectrum-matched photocatalysts could enable a solar-driven process for sustainable fuel production.
The process integrates photochemical and thermochemical steps, utilizing concentrated solar energy for both intermediate generation and carbon-chain formation.