Solar Hydrocarbons: Single-Step, Atmospheric-Pressure Synthesis of C 2 -C 4 Alkanes and Alkenes from CO 2 .

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 ) spinel has been found to produce C 2 -C 4 hydrocarbons in a single-step, ambient-pressure, photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO 2 with a rate of 1.1 mmol g -1  h -1 , selectivity of 29.8 % and conversion yield of 12.9 %. On stream the CoFe 2 O 4 reconstructs to a CoFe-CoFe 2 O 4 alloy-spinel nanocomposite which facilitates the light-assisted transformation of CO 2 to CO and hydrogenation of the CO to C 2 -C 4 hydrocarbons. Promising results obtained from a laboratory demonstrator bode well for the development of a solar hydrocarbon pilot refinery.