Boosted Solar Thermochemical Low-Temperature CO₂ Splitting On Pt/CeO₂ by Interface Catalysis.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Solar thermochemical CO₂ splitting using metal oxides is a promising route for solar fuel production and energy storage.
• A major challenge is achieving efficient CO₂ splitting at low temperatures (<800°C) due to insufficient metal oxide activation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of platinum (Pt) introduction on the performance of cerium oxide (CeO₂) for solar thermochemical CO₂ splitting.
• To enhance CO₂ activation and dissociation at lower temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of 0.5Pt/CeO₂ catalyst.
• Evaluation of CO₂ splitting performance, including CO production rate and conversion.
• Analysis of catalyst stability and the underlying mechanism at 700°C.

Main Results:

• The 0.5Pt/CeO₂ catalyst exhibited a peak CO production rate of ~65 mL min^-1 g^-1 and CO productivity of ~53 mL g^-1.
• Achieved nearly 100% CO₂ conversion with excellent long-term stability.
• Outperformed state-of-the-art transition metal oxides at lower temperatures (700°C).

Conclusions:

• Platinum addition significantly boosts the efficiency of solar thermochemical CO₂ splitting over CeO₂.
• The enhanced performance is attributed to the formation of a Pt⁰-O_v-Ce³⁺ interface, facilitating CO₂ activation and C=O bond dissociation.
• This approach offers a viable pathway for efficient solar fuel production at reduced temperatures.