Project 31: PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC MOLECULES FROM CO2 AND H2O BY PHOTOCATALYSIS IN NANO-OXIDES

The scope of the proposal concerns the manufacture and characterization of nano-oxides (NOx) to promote ideal conditions to synthetize organic molecules from CO2 and H2O by photocatalytic reactions. Semiconductor oxide, surface composition and particle size of nano-oxides play a key role in creating the conditions for absorption of light radiation, adsorption and reactions of H2O and CO2 molecules to produce organic molecules. The physico-chemistry of interfaces (surfaces and grain boundaries) of nano-oxides can be controlled by segregation of additives which has a strong role in the particle size stabilization. However, the bandwidth and its defects are controlled by the composition of the semiconductor, which in turn controls the absorption of light. In this way, the production of nanoparticles with the control of the chemical composition of the interfaces enables the reaction of the photocatalyst to allow the photocatalytic reaction between CO2 and H2O to produce organic products with potential for use as fuel or raw material to produce inputs in the oil industry.