Ternary V₂C-LaCoO₃ coupled g-C₃N₄ composite for investigating influential parameters in photocatalytic CO₂ methanation through response surface methodology

The study investigates well-designed binary V₂C/LaCoO₃ cocatalysts coupled with g-C₃N₄ for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, using response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize parameters. Catalysts were screened by varying V₂C MXene loadings in a Type I heterojunction g-C₃N₄/LaCoO₃ composite. The 10 % V₂C MXene-coupled heterojunction exhibited superior photocatalytic efficiency and selectivity due to effective charge separation and enhanced visible light absorption. CO and CH₄ production by the ternary V₂C/g-C₃N₄/LaCoO₃ composite was optimized via central composite design (CCD) and RSM, yielding CO and CH₄ at 269.8 and 548.12 µmole, respectively. Experimental values of 274.25 µmole (CO) and 592.37 µmole (CH₄) showed minimal errors of 1.3 % and 1.6 %, respectively. Parameter interaction analysis revealed pressure as the most significant factor for maximizing product yields. This study provides insights into optimizing process parameters for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.