Simple Preparation of Hierarchically Porous Ce/TiO(2)/Graphitic Carbon Microspheres for the Reduction of CO(2) with H(2)O under Simulated Solar Irradiation

[Image: see text] Hierarchically porous Ce/TiO(2)/graphitic carbon microsphere composites (xCe/TiO(2)/GCM, where x = 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 mmol·L(–1)) were prepared for the first time by using a simple colloidal crystal template and characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption and desorption, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectra. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of CO(2) reduction by H(2)O under simulated solar irradiation was studied. The results showed that the Ce/TiO(2)/GCM composite material was characterized by large porosity, high concentration of metal compounds and graphitized carbon matrix, and the content of acetone solvent having a great impact on its form. In terms of the photocatalytic CO(2) reaction, the CH(4) and CO productions were 4.587 and 357.851 μmol·g(–1), respectively. The 2Ce/TiO(2)/GCM photocatalyst gave the highest production rate for three products. Under simulated solar irradiation, the Ce/TiO(2)/GCM has excellent photocatalytic activity in the photoreduction of CO(2) from H(2)O, which was related to the special composition and the Ce/TiO(2)/GCM structure.