Themed collection Solar Fuels and Chemicals: Photocatalytic Water Splitting and CO2 Reduction
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Designing idealised devices for bias-free solar water splitting
This perspective categorizes unbiased photoelectrochemical (PEC) configurations and outlined their strengths and weaknesses, exploring the path to an ideal PEC water-splitting device design, crucial for practical solar-to-hydrogen conversion.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 481-490
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01371E
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Multinuclear systems for photo-induced production of green fuels: an overview of homogeneous catalysts based on transition metals
Schematic representation of light-induced processes in artificial photosinthetic systems composed by multinuclear metal complexes.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1588-1606
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE00078A
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Improved photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction over Bi-doped CeO2 by strain engineering
By creating surface vacancy-dopant-mediated solid frustrated Lewis pairs, efficient photochemical conversion of CO2 to formic acid is achieved on Bi-doped CeO2 in the presence of strain, which is investigated by using density functional theory.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1405-1411
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01680C
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Efficient hydrogen evolution from water over a thin film photocathode composed of solid solutions with a composition gradient of ZnTe and CdTe
Photocathode composed of solid solutions with a composition gradient of ZnTe and CdTe shows significantly enhanced solar hydrogen evolution from water over bilayer and/or monolayer photocathodes.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 2210-2218
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE00067F
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Sequential proton coupled electron transfer events from a tetraruthenium polyoxometalate in photochemical water oxidation
The tetraruthenium polyoxometalate Ru4POM shows sequential oxidative proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) events in a [Ru(bpy)3]2+/S2O82− photochemical cycle for catalytic water oxidation, reaching quantum efficiency approaching 14%.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1944-1952
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE00146J
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Synergy of nanocrystalline carbon nitride with Cu single atom catalyst leads to selective photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to methanol
Synergistic magic: copper single atom and nanocrystalline carbon nitride for selective CO2 to methanol conversion.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1691-1703
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE00028E
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Enhanced photoelectrochemical hydrogen production via linked BiVO4 nanoparticles on anodic WO3 nanocoral structures
In this study, heterostructured BiVO4/WO3 with linked BiVO4 nanoparticles and anodic WO3 nanocorals was fabricated. This heterostructure shows enhanced photoelectrochemical performances, especially, in H2 production.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1448-1456
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01545A
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Enhancing the stability of photocatalytic systems for hydrogen evolution in water by using a tris-phenyl-phenanthroline sulfonate ruthenium photosensitizer
Using the water-soluble Ru-tris-phenyl phenanthroline sulfonate photosensitizer versus regular Ru-tris-bipyridine improves the efficiency of H2 production in water.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1457-1472
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01556D
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Co-catalyst design to control charge transfer and product composition for photocatalytic H2 production and biomass reforming
Pt co-catalyst results in strong H2 evolution and piece-by-piece peeling of xylose; Ag co-catalyst results in cleavage of C2–C3 bond.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1412-1423
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01544K
Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of LaTiO2N using titanium oxide nanosheet/La3+ hybrids as a precursor
LaTiO2N, which has attracted attention as a promising candidate for photocatalytic water splitting, was synthesized through a method that utilized a titania nanosheet/La3+/La(OH)3 hybrid system as a precursor.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1269-1279
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01684F
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Metal-free carbon dot–microporous graphitic carbon heterojunctions as photocatalysts for CO2 reduction
Photocatalysts containing carbon dots (CD) on microporous graphitic carbons prepared from α-cyclodextrin and preformed CDs are able to reduce CO2 in H2O/N(CH2CH2OH)3 forming CH4 and H2.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1255-1259
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE00007B
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Z-scheme water splitting utilizing CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 as a hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst with photo-response up to 600 nm
CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 modified with Cr2O3/Ru, which can utilize longer wavelength light in comparison with SrTiO3:Rh, a representative H2-evolving component, was successfully applied to Z-scheme water splitting with BiVO4 and Co(bpy)33+/2+.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1260-1268
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01622F
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A thiomolybdate cluster for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution: comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous approaches
This study investigates the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) efficiency of two photosystems incorporating an all-inorganic molecular thiomolybdate [Mo3S13]2− cluster as a HER catalyst.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1225-1235
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01658G
Water oxidation utilizing a ruthenium complex featuring a phenolic moiety inspired by the oxygen-evolving centre (OEC) of photosystem II
A ruthenium complex bearing a phenolic moiety inspired by the OEC of photosystem II exhibits a high catalytic activity for electrochemical water oxidation, clearly indicating the promoting influence of the phenolic moiety on the catalytic activity.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 905-913
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01610B
In situ photodeposition of loaded Co–MoSx for promoting visible-light g-C3N4 photocatalytic hydrogen production performance
The Co–MoSx can efficiently catalyze H2 evolution reaction under visible light.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 927-933
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01515G
Solar-driven simultaneous production of hypochlorous acid and hydrogen from saline water over RhCrOx-loaded SrTiO3 photocatalyst systems
Photocatalytic simultaneous production of HClO and H2 in saline water under simulated solar light was successfully achieved on SrTiO3:Al photocatalyst systems.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 745-751
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE01163A
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A rational guide to improve the activity of a hydrogen-evolving polymeric carbon nitride photocatalyst
Light intensity-dependence and the H–D isotope effect studies on Pt-loaded C/N polymer photocatalyst, along with photoelectrochemical measurements, revealed that promoting the oxidation reaction by holes was critical for improved H2 evolution.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 36-42
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE00996C
Hydrogen-evolving photocathodes consisting of Cu2SnxGe1−xS3 particles synthesized by polymerized complex method and sulphurization
Facile approach to synthesizing a Cu2SnxGe1−xS3 photocatalyst was developed, based on sulphurization of particulate oxide precursors prepared by a polymerized complex method.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023,7, 5342-5351
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE00871A
Selective placement of modifiers on hematite thin films for solar water splitting
A dual-modification strategy enabling the design of hematite with synergistic bulk and interfacial engineering for improved performance as photoanode.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023,7, 5005-5017
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE00998J
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Porous silicon-nanowire-based electrode for the photoelectrocatalytic production of hydrogen
Building a porous photocathode for solar hydrogen production with earth-abundant materials: silicon nanowires to harvest light, molybdenum sulfide to turn protons into hydrogen.
Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023,7, 4864-4876
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3SE00408B
About this collection
This collection, guest edited by Profs. Ryu Abe (Kyoto University, Japan, ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8592-076X), Kazunari Domen (The University of Tokyo, Japan, ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7995-4832), Osamu Ishitani (Hiroshima University, Japan, ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9557-7854) and Yun Hau Ng (City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9142-2126), aims to showcase the recent advances in the field of photocatalytic water splitting and CO2 reduction, with a focus on solar-driven production of clean fuels and chemicals. The wide range of topics covered include semiconductor materials chemistry, photoelectrochemistry, nanotechnology, co-catalysts with high selectivity, molecular catalyst chemistry, spectroscopy, theoretical study and system design for practical applications.