Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
Josep Albero, Diego Mateo and Hermenegildo Garcia
Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV), Spain
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl
Photoassisted CO2 methanation can be carried out efficiently at 250oC using Cu2O nanoparticles supported on few
layer graphene (Cu2O/G) as photocatalyst. The Cu2O/G photocatalyst has been prepared by chemical reduction
of a Cu salt (Cu (NO3)2) with ethylene glycol in the presence of defective graphene obtained from the pyrolysis of
alginate acid at 900 oC under Ar flow. Using this photocatalyst a maximum specific CH4 formation rate of 14.93
mmol/gCu2O?h and apparent quantum yield of 7.84 % was achieved, which is one of the highest reported values
for the gas-phse methanation reaction at temperatures below Sabatier reaction (>350oC). It was found that the most
probable reaction mechanism involves photoinduced electron transfer from the Cu2O/G photocatalyst to CO2, while
evidence indicates that light-induced local temperature increase and H2 activation are negligible. The role of the
temperature in the process has been studied, the available data suggesting that heating is needed to desorb the H2O
formed as product during the methanation. The most probable reaction mechanism seems to follow dissociative
pathway involving detachment of oxygen atoms from CO2.
Recent Publications:
1. Harper C (2009) The neuropathology of alcohol-related brain damage. Alcohol 44(2):136-140.
2. Li X, Schwacha M G, Chaudry I H and Choudhry M A (2008) Acute alcohol intoxication potentiates neutrophilmediated
intestinal tissue damage after burn injury. Shock 29(3):377-383
3. Sullivan E V and Zahr N M (2008) Neuroinflammation as a neurotoxic mechanism in alcoholism: Commentary
on ??Increased MCP- 1 and microglia in various regions of human alcoholic brain?. Experimental neurology
213(1):10-17.
4. Heilig M and Egli M (2006) Pharmacological treatment of alcohol dependence: Target symptoms and target
mechanisms. Pharmacology and therapeutics 111(3):855-876.
5. Room R, Babor T and Rehm J (2005) Alcohol and public health. Lancet 365(9458):519-530.
Josep Albero has obtained his Chemical Engineering degree at the Jaume I University of Castellon, Spain in 2005; MSc degree at Rovira I Virgili University in 2009. He has worked in the synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline semiconductor quantum dots for photovoltaic applications when received his PhD in the group of E. Palomares at ICIQ. After that, he joined H Garcia group in ITQ as Postdoctoral Fellow. His research interest is the charge transfer reactions in nanostructured materials and their applications in renewable energies.