2016 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
| Project/Area Number |
16J08808
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
殷 鴿 東京工業大学, 大学院理工学研究科(工学系), 特別研究員(DC2)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2016-04-22 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | carbon dioxide reduction / photocatalyst / photoelectrochemical / intermentallic |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In the present research, we aimed to achieve visible light sensitive CO2 photoreduction via:1, the development of CaFe2O4 photocathode,and WO3 photoanode. 2, the development of co-catalysts to improve the conversion efficiency and products selectivity. 3, the combination of the photoelectrodes and co-catalyst.
A p-type CaFe2O4(CFO) electrode was prepared as photocathode. This electrode can absorb visible light and behave high conductivity to reduce CO2. In the meanwhile, a WO3 electrode with a nanotree structure was developed as photoanode. It can catalyze O2 generation under visible light and according to electrochemical evaluation, it shows high stability and photocurrent density.
To increase the CO2 conversion efficiency and the products selectivity, a Cu-Zn intermetallic material was developed as co-catalyst and decorated to the surface of CFO. According to the eletrochemical and photoelectrochemcial evaluations, the Cu-Zn intermetallic co-catalyst achieved highly selective HCOOH generation from CO2 with a faradic efficiency about 80% and high stability with TON about 1400. This co-catalyst can be easily utilized on various of semiconductors and this research has be published in JMCA.
The combination of Cu-Zn decorated CFO and WO3 was successfully constructed by a H-type photoelectrochemical cell. As results,it successfully converted CO2 into HCOOH with a high selectivity under visible light irradiation and a low bias-potential. This research is now under submitting.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
This research aimed to achieve CO2 photoreduction under visible light on the base of the combination of three kinds of materials, CO2 reduction co-catalyst, photocathode and photoanode.
At the current stage, the development of co-catalyst, a Cu-Zn alloy material have completed and published. This co-catalyst behave high stability and selectivity, also can be generally utilized.
In the meanwhile, a CaFe2O4 photocathode and a WO3 nanotree photoanode were also successfully developed. The Cu-Zn alloy was loaded on the surface of CaFe2O4 photocathode. The Cu-Zn/CaFe2O4 and WO3 were successfully combined and generation of HCOOH from CO2 was detected under visible light.
Therefore, this research has been proceeding as we planed.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The future work will be focused on the surface improvement of CaFe2O4 photocathode. It was noticed that CaFe2O4 behave less stability in the CO2 purged electrolyte due to the self-reduction. Thus, we are planing to coat an ultra-thin SiO2 film to the surface to prevent the proceeding of self-rduction.
The surface decoration of WO3 photoanode by using O2 generation co-catalyst such as Co-pi will also be operated to increase the conversion efficiency of the anodic side.
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