Green Light\nPromoted Photoreduction of Carbonate to\nAcetic Acid by Zinc Ash-Derived ZCu@ZnO

Herein, we have synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) particles\nfrom the\nzinc ash generated as waste in the galvanization process in the steel\nindustry, ZnO particles were decorated with copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles,\nand then further activated by reducing them to get a heterojunction\nphotocatalyst (ZCu@ZnO). Thereafter, ZCu@ZnO is utilized for the photoreduction\nof carbonate to acetic acid (AcOH) in a H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>–water mixture as a hydrogen-rich solvent under the illumination\nof various light sources. Moreover, various physical and chemical\nparameters, such as solvent mixture, light sources (monochromatic\nlights and sunlight), photocatalysts, time, etc., were also optimized\nto get the maximum yield of AcOH (∼0.47 M). The mechanism of\nphotoreduction of carbonate to AcOH is also being proposed based on\nscavenging experiments of free radicals.