Plasma-Assisted Photocatalysis of CH 4 and CO 2 into Ethylene

Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) using CO 2 as the oxidant is a potential advancement for methane conversion and greenhouse gases reduction. However, the reaction is usually limited by both high energy consumption and strict reaction condition. Here, we report, for the first time, photoinduced efficient ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and CO production by OCM over TiO 2 -supported Ag nanoparticles at mild conditions. The success relies on a synergy coupling visible-light-induced strong surface plasma resonance (SPR) effect localized on Ag(0), ultraviolet-light-induced photoelectric effect on TiO 2, and the separated adsorption of CO 2 and CH 4 on TiO 2 and Ag. The yields of CO and C 2 H 4 reach 1149 and 686 μmol·g –1 ·h –1, respectively, under simulated solar irradiation. The origination of carbon-based gas products from CO 2 and CH 4 is also certified by a 13 C isotope-labeled experiment. This work presents a new and ideal route of photocatalytic OCM reaction for C 2 H 4 and CO production by coupling both SPR and photoelectric effects.