LiNbO3-A Polar Material for Solid-Gas Artificial Photosynthesis

The photocatalytic fixation of CO2 to hydrocarbons was performed using LiNbO3. 0.126 cm(2) of powdered LiNbO3 was irradiated with 64.2 mW/cm(2) light from a mercury lamp with 10ml of water under 30% CO2/air. The LiNbO3 was held on a platen above the water to give a gas-solid catalytic reaction. Formic acid and formaldehyde were detected in the water after irradiation for 6 hours and produced at rates of 7.7 mmol and 1.1 mu mol /hour. The calculated efficiency of the catalyst was calculated to be ca 2% which compared to 0.17% for TiO2 under the same conditions. MgO doped LiNbO3 was also tested and found to have an energy conversion efficiency of 0.72%.