Jung, Hyunju Kim, Chansol Yoo, Hae-Wook You, Jei Kim, Jin Seog Jamal, Aqil Gereige, Issam Ager, Joel W. W. Jung, Hee-Tae 2024-01-19T09:04:56Z 2024-01-19T09:04:56Z 2023-06-22 2023-07 1754-5692 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/113547 Semiconductor photocatalyst approaches for solar CO2 reduction are attractive due to their simplicity but have lagged in efficiency compared to less-integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) approaches and to electrolysis reactors. We identify poor mass transport and catalyst deactivation as key constraints. To address them, we have developed a continuous-flow photocatalytic reactor system allowing us to control the triple-phase interface on the photocatalyst surface using the liquid and reactant gas flow rates. With the goal of selectively producing CO, the reactor is optimized by controlling the pressure and flow rates of the reactant gas and electrolyte in contact with both sides with the intermediately placed catalyst. In comparison to batch reactors with an immobile photocatalyst bed and gas phase CO2 or CO2 purged water, 10-24 times higher production rates are achieved for photocatalysts such as TiO2, ZnO, C3N4, and CdS by simply changing to the designed flow-type photoreactor without any catalyst modification. In addition, CO selectivity (93.2%) and long-term stability (>780 min) using the designed reactor are significantly enhanced compared to using the batch reactors (71.7%, <180 min for reduced 50% activity). We propose that the enhanced mass transport on the photocatalyst surface accelerates the desorption of the initial photolysis product, CO, and prevents the poisoning effect from deactivating photocatalyst activity. This study has the potential to facilitate the utilization of semiconductor-based photocatalytic reactions for achieving superior performance wih gaseous reactants. English Royal Society of Chemistry Continuous-flow reactor with superior production rate and stability for CO2 reduction using semiconductor photocatalysts Article 10.1039/d3ee00507k 1 Energy & Environmental Science, v.16, no.7, pp.2869 - 2878 Energy & Environmental Science 16 7 2869 2878 N scie scopus 001000288200001 Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Energy & Fuels Engineering, Chemical Environmental Sciences Chemistry Energy & Fuels Engineering Environmental Sciences & Ecology Article GAS-DIFFUSION ELECTRODES CARBON-DIOXIDE ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS EFFICIENCY CONVERSION TIO2