Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2025

CO2 Photoreduction to CH4 Performance Under Concentrating Solar Light
Published on: June 12, 2019
Suppressive Strong Metal-Support Interactions on Ruthenium/TiO2 Promote Light-Driven Photothermal CO2 Reduction with
Qiang Li1,2,3, Huiling Wang1,2,3, Meng Zhang1,2,3
1Xiamen Key Laboratory of Materials for Gaseous Pollutant Control, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021, Xiamen, China.
Abstract:
Strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) have gained great attention in the heterogeneous catalysis field, but its negative role in regulating light-induced electron transfer is rarely explored. Herein, we describe how SMSI significantly restrains the activity of Ru/TiO2 in light-driven CO2 reduction by CH4 due to the photo-induced transfer of electrons from TiO2 to Ru. In contrast, on suppression of SMSI Ru/TiO2 -H2 achieves a 46-fold CO2 conversion rate compared to Ru/TiO2 . For Ru/TiO2 -H2 , a considerable number of photo-excited hot electrons from Ru nanoparticles (NPs) migrate to oxygen vacancies (OVs) and facilitate CO2 activation under illumination, simultaneously rendering Ruδ+ electron deficient and better able to accelerate CH4 decomposition. Consequently, photothermal catalysis over Ru/TiO2 -H2 lowers the activation energy and overcomes the limitations of a purely thermal system. This work offers a novel strategy for designing efficient photothermal catalysts by regulating two-phase interactions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Radical Substitution: Hydrogenolysis of Alkyl Halides with Tributyltin Hydride
The bonds formed in this reaction are stronger than the bonds broken, making it energetically favorable. The reaction follows a radical chain mechanism similar to radical halogenation...
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation

