Na2V6O16•xH2O nanoribbons: large-scale synthesis and visible-light photocatalytic activity of CO2 into solar fuels

An ultra-thin and super-long Na2V6O16 center dot xH(2)O nanoribbon of similar to 5 nm thickness and similar to 500 mu m length was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, using a freshly prepared V(3+) species precursor solution by directly dissolving a vanadium metal thread in a NaNO3 solution using a solid-liquid phase arc discharge (SLPAD) technique. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and chemical composition. The super-long and ultra-thin geometry of the Na2V6O16 center dot xH(2)O nanoribbons is proven to greatly promote the photocatalytic activity toward reduction of CO2 into renewable hydrocarbon fuel (CH4) in the presence of water vapor under visible-light irradiation.