Solar energy conversion using photochemical molecular devices: photocatalytic hydrogen production from water using mixed-metal supramolecular complexes

The separation of photogenerated charge carries is a challenging issue in artificial photocatalyst systems for solar energy conversion. It has been reported that spatial charge separation can take place between different facets of semiconductor-based crystals with regular morphology and facets, which could be used to rationally deposit cocatalysts on the right facets. However, the spatial separation of photogenerated electrons and holes is still a big challenge for a particulate photocatalyst without regular morphology and specific facets. In this work, we demonstrated that photogenerated electrons and holes can be regularly separated on ferroelectric PbTiO3 photocatalyst even without regular morphology and facets. The reduction cocatalyst and oxidation cocatalyst could be selectively formed on different sites via an in situ photochemical deposition method. It is found that the photoactivity and hydrogen production for PbTiO3 with spatially separated dual-cocatalysts is remarkably enhanced to more than 100 times greater compared to native PbTiO3, which is much higher than that the case of dual-cocatalysts with a random distribution. The intrinsic electric fields and spontaneous electric polarization in the bulk of PbTiO3 are proposed to play important roles in the spatial distribution of active sites on irregular PbTiO3 particles. Our work emphasizes the essential roles of two important factors, efficient charge separation strategy and the location of dual-cocatalysts on the right sites, to construct integrated artificial photocatalyst systems for solar energy conversion.

Download Full-text

Efficient Solar Energy Conversion Systems for Hydrogen Production from Water using Semiconductor Photoelectrodes and Photocatalysts

10.1063/1.2896989 ◽

2008 ◽

Author(s):

K. Sayama ◽

T. Arai ◽

Kazuyuki Tohji ◽

Noriyoshi Tsuchiya ◽

Balachandran Jeyadevan

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Production ◽

Solar Energy ◽

Energy Conversion ◽

Solar Energy Conversion ◽

Energy Conversion Systems

Download Full-text

NANOTECHNOLOGY MATERIALS FOR SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION

Contemporary Materials ◽

10.7251/comen1302145p ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Svetlana Pelemiš ◽

Igor Hut

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Production ◽

Solar Energy ◽

Energy Conversion ◽

Production Technology ◽

Energy Production ◽

Scientific Community ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Solar Energy Conversion ◽

Common Word ◽

Paper Briefly

Nanotechnology is a common word these days, although only 15 years ago it was a quite obscure term used almost exclusively in scientific community. It is a fact that nanotechnology is widely present today with numerous applications, especially regarding novel materials. This is a technology that draws a lot of attention not only in the scientific community but also among investors, governments and industry. There is a great deal of expectations connected with it and especially, amongst others, concerning sustainable energy production. This paper briefly explores some of possible implementations of nanotechnology for new and improved energy conversion methods, considering a need for this to be done without doing harm to our environment. Focus is placed on advanced photovoltaic and hydrogen production technology.

Download Full-text