Translucent Nanoparticle-based Aerogel Monoliths as 3-Dimensional Photocatalysts for the Selective Photoreduction of CO₂ to Methanol in a Continuous Flow Reactor

The selective photoreduction of CO₂ to methanol is an energy efficient way to transform a harmful greenhouse gas into a hydrocarbon of great industrial importance. Researcher at the Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials demonstrate that translucent nanoparticle-based aerogel monoliths are promising photocatalysts for such gas phase reactions. Due to the high mechanical fragility of the aerogels, a special flow reactor was developed.