Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O on highly dispersed Ti-oxide catalysts as a model of artificial photosynthesis

The results of investigations on the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O to produce CH4, CH3OH and O-2, artificial photosynthesis, obtained on the highly active tetrahadrally-coordinated Ti-oxide species with TiO4 units constructed within micro- and mesa-porous framework structures are summarized. The yields of these products were found to change remarkably depending on the reaction conditions such as the ratio of H2O/CO2 ratio. Advanced metal ion-implantation method to modify the catalysts to enable the absorption and operation under visible light was shown to open the way to more innovative possibilities in artificial photosynthesis as well as in the use of clean, unlimited and sustainable solar light to produce useful organic compounds such as CH3OH from CO2 and H2O. The hybridization of natural photosynthesis in green plants and artificial photosynthesis realized by the utilization of thin film photocatalysts is proposed to be promising to produce H-2, sugars and O-2 from wastewater with excretions from the roots of the vegetables in plant factory under sunlight irradiation. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.