Preparation of Cuprous Oxide Nanoparticles Coated with Aminated Cellulose for the Photocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol. Issue 6 (23rd March 2018) - Yisilamu, Gunisakezi
Abstract: The present study utilizes microcrystalline cellulose as the raw material to prepare nanoscale cellulose crystal (NCC) particles through a hybrid method incorporating mixed acid and ultrasonic treatment. Furthermore, the NCC undergoes a surface modification through SOCl2 chlorination and ethylenediamine (EDA) passivation, which generates graphitized aminated cellulose doped with nitrogen (NCC‐EDA). This product, due to the coordination and dispersion effects of the functional groups (e.g., amido group) on its surface, is in turn used to coat Cu2 O nanoparticles derived from the in situ reduction of CuCl2 ⋅2 H2 O, which leads to a composite photocatalyst Cu2 O/NCC‐EDA with relatively high catalytic activity. Besides the structural characterization, the present study also examines the characteristics of CH3 OH prepared by visible‐light‐based photocatalytic reduction of CO2 /H2 O. The results indicate that the prepared Cu2 O/NCC‐EDA are spherical particles with a diameter of approximately 50 nm, which are in possession of a tree‐structured rough shell capable of absorbing an increased amount of CO2 . Under the radiation of visible light, the Cu2 O in the prepared product is activated, yielding photoelectron–hole pairs. Driven by the nitrogen in the carrier, the formed photoelectron–hole pairs are subject to an efficient separation, and are thereby consumed by the oxidation–reduction reaction. As a result, a high activity for the photocatalyzed reduction of CO2 is obtained. Abstract : Aminated series : The present study utilizes microcrystalline cellulose as the raw material to prepare nanoscale cellulose crystal (NCC) particles, which are used to form a composite nanocatalyst after amination surface treatment and incorporation with Cu2 O nanoparticles. The authors examine the catalyst in the synthesis of CH3 OH by the visible‐light‐based photocatalytic reduction of CO2 /H2 O, for which the catalyst shows high activity.