Demonstration of the photothermal catalysis of the Sabatier reaction using nickel nanoparticles and solar spectrum light.

The promise of light-to-chemical energy conversion has led researchers to explore photo-thermal processes for chemical reactivity of nanoparticles. Previous work has examined particles as an element of a supported catalyst, but not as an unsupported nanopowder. We present a preliminary examination of a photo-thermal Sabatier reaction performed on suspended Ni nanoparticles.

Photothermal Nanoparticle Initiation Enables Radical Polymerization and Yields Unique, Uniform Microfibers with Broad Spectrum Light.

Photothermal processes are utilized across a variety of fields, from separations to medicine, and are an area of active research. Herein, the action of a solar simulator upon carbon black nanoparticles is shown to result in photothermally initiated chain-growth polymerization of methyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate initiated by benzoyl peroxide. With use of methyl acrylate as the model system, products from this reaction are shown to be apparently indistinguishable on the molecular level, but result in unique microstructures relative to the thermal controls.