Photocatalytic Conversion of Diluted CO2 into Light Hydrocarbons Using Periodically Modulated Multiwalled Nanotube Arrays

Cu–Pt bimetallic shells supported on a double-walled TiO2 nanotube (PMTiNT) array are efficient photocatalysts for the room-temperature conversion of CO2 into light hydrocarbons, such as CH4, C2H4, and C2H6. When Cu0.33–Pt0.67/PMTiNT was used for the photoreduction of diluted CO2 (1 % in N2), an average hydrocarbon production rate of 3.7 mL g−1 h−1 or 6.1 mmol m−2 h−1 was realized under AM 1.5 one-sun illumination.