Solar-driven thermo-photocatalytic CO₂ methanation over a structured RuO₂:TiO₂/SBA-15 nanocomposite at low temperature

A new hybrid catalyst composed of mesostructured silica SBA-15 functionalized with TiO2 and further loaded with RuO2 was developed to efficiently promote thermo-photocatalytic CO2 hydrogenation into methane at low temperatures. The catalytic activity was assessed with respect to TiO2:RuO2 loading, catalyst dosage, illumination source (polychromatic sunlight and monochromatic LEDs) and power, [H-2]:[CO2] molar ratio, temperature, and catalyst reusability. The best methanation yields were attained for the RuO2(6.4%):TiO2(16.9%)/SBA-15 nanocomposite at 150 C-o, under simulated sunlight (0.21 W) and stoichiometric [H-2]:[CO2] molar ratio, reaching: a specific CH4 production rate of 13.6 mmol gcat(-1) h(-1); 99.8 % selectivity; 96.8 % CO2 conversion (110min; 40 mL); and apparent photonic efficiency/quantum yield of 39.5 %/42.1 %. Considering only the active RuO2:TiO2 photocatalyst mass (23.3 %), the CH4 production rate increased to 58.6 mmol g(active_cat) (-1) h(-1) this highly-active photocatalyst featured excellent UV-Vis-IR light absorbance, high surface area, and stability for reuse when moist gas was removed between cycles.