Synthesis and characterization of V2O5-Ga2O3 photocatalysts and their application on the photocatalytic reduction of CO2

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce methanol (CH3OH) is a promising strategy for producing clean energy. The catalyst, the aqueous medium, and the UV light are key parameters for the formation of the most relevant pair (e(-)/h(+)) and the specific selectivity towards the desired product (methanol). The use of Ga2O3 and V2O5 in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to produce methanol has been little studied. However, the combination of these oxides is important to generate synergies and decrease the band energy, enhancing the photocatalytic activity in CO2 reduction. In this work, V2O5-Ga2O3 combined photocatalysts have been prepared and investigated for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. These photocatalysts were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The results showed that textural properties such as surface area and morphology do not influence the photocatalytic activity. However, species such as Ga2p(3/2) and Ga2p(1/2) identified by XPS enhanced the photocatalytic activity, most likely due to the formation of vacancies and the reduction of the bandgap in the combined oxides, as compared to single oxides. The contribution of these factors in pair interactions (e(-)/h(+)) with CO2 to generate methanol is demonstrated.

Automated summary

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce methanol (CH3OH) is a promising strategy for clean energy production. The combination of V2O5 and Ga2O3 as photocatalysts enhances the photocatalytic activity by decreasing the band energy and generating synergies. Surface area and morphology do not significantly affect the photocatalytic activity, while species such as Ga2p(3/2) and Ga2p(1/2) identified by XPS enhance the activity by forming vacancies and reducing the bandgap in the combined oxides. These factors contribute to the interaction of electron-hole pairs with CO2 for methanol generation.