Effect of a three-dimensional nanotube array substrate on photocatalytic conversion performance of CO gas to methanol by amine-loaded CuO/ZnO catalysts.

The photocatalytic conversion of CO gas into energy-dense hydrocarbons holds the potential to address both environmental and energy problems. Catalysts consisting of CuO clusters/nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods on a metallic nanotube array (MeNTA) silicon substrate were utilized for CO reduction. The surface of the catalysts was modified with 3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane (APTES), the amine terminal of which can selectively bind CO gas.