Photocatalytic Activities of FeNbO4/NH2-MIL-125(Ti) Composites toward the Cycloaddition of CO2 to Propylene Oxide

Photocatalytic utilization of CO₂ in the production of value-added chemicals has presented a recent green alternative for CO₂ fixation. In this regard, three FeNbO₄/NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) composites of different mole ratios were synthesized, characterized using Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). PXRD patterns confirm the co-existence of the parent components in the prepared composites. Moreover, the surface area increased as the mole percent of NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) in the composites increased due to the large surface area of NH₂-MIL-125(Ti). Prepared composites were investigated for the photocatalytic insertion of CO₂ into propylene oxide. FeNbO_4(75%)/NH₂-MIL-125(Ti)_(25%) showed the highest percent yield of 52% compared to the other two composites. Results demonstrate the cooperative mechanism between FeNbO₄ and NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) and that the reaction proceeded photocatalytically.