Photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide and water into substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon(s)

Abstract

A method for the production of hydrocarbon(s), such as methane, substituted hydrocarbons, such as methanol, or the production of hydrogen, the method comprising the steps of contacting a first catalyst with water in order to photocatalyse the splitting of at least some of the water into hydrogen and oxygen; and contacting a second catalyst with a gas stream comprising carbon dioxide and at least some of the hydrogen produced from step (a) in order to photocatalyse the reaction between the hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce hydrocarbon(s), such as methane, and/or substituted hydrocarbons, such as methanol. In an embodiment, the catalyst comprises gold and or ruthenium nanoclusters supported on a substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.