Barium zirconate: a new photocatalyst for converting CO2 into hydrocarbons under UV irradiation†
Abstract
In this study, photocatalytic activities of BaZrO3 for CO2 reduction were investigated in detail. BaZrO3 samples were successfully obtained via a Pechini process at different temperatures. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area measurement, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of the deposition of various metal nanoparticles on the surface of BaZrO3 were also discussed. The results proved that the highly dispersed silver nanoparticles play a crucial role in improving the photocatalytic activities of BaZrO3.