Themed collection In celebration of Kazunari Domen’s 65th birthday, 2018

Overall water splitting for the stoichiometric generation of H₂ and O₂ has been achieved by rational cocatalyst modification of g-C₃N₄ polymers to modulate the surface redox reaction kinetics.

Noble metal dewetting on self-organized TiO₂ nanotubes – nanoscopic design of photocatalysts towards green H₂ generation.

A new approach to increasing the faradaic efficiency of dye-sensitised photocathodes for H₂ evolution from water is described, using integrated photocatalysts based on a ruthenium 4,4′-diethoxycarboxy-2,2′-bipyridine chromophore linked via terpyridine or triazole to a Pd or Pt-based H⁺ reduction catalyst.

Time-resolved spectroscopies reveals remarkably long charge carrier lifetime in GaN:ZnO solid solution leading to hole accumulation key to water oxidation.

Co-grafting of a cobalt diimine–dioxime catalyst and push–pull organic dye on NiO yields a photocathode evolving hydrogen from aqueous solution under sunlight, with equivalent performances compared to a dyad-based architecture using similar components.

The dual-working-electrode technique enables the deconvolution of the intrinsic properties of the buried p–n junction and the electrocatalyst on the surface for water splitting photocathodes.

The phase-segregated NiP_x@FeP_yO_z core@shell NPs act as a colloidally stable, ready-to-use, and excellent OER active transition metal phosphide-based catalyst.

Time-resolved IR spectra indicated fast electron transfer from the reduced photosensitizer to the catalyst.

H₂ generation using a Ni catalyst on dye-sensitised CuCrO₂ highlights the benefits of using delafossite semiconductors for solar fuel production.

Novel Os(II)–Re(I)–Ru(II) hetero-trinuclear complexes, which can absorb a wide range of visible light and induce durable CO₂ reduction, were synthesised.

The present study reports the first example of photocatalytic hydroxylation of benzene with O₂ and H₂O, both of which are the most green reagents, under visible light irradiation to afford a high turnover number.

NH₄HCO₃ was determined to be an effective electron donor for the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂, whereby CO₂ can be captured, stored, and efficiently converted into CO.

A versatile platform for the immobilisation of molecular catalysts on a readily-prepared Si photocathode with a mesoporous TiO₂ layer is reported.

A new Ru(II)–Re(I)/CuGaO₂ hybrid photocathode was developed and combined with a CoO_x/TaON photoanode to drive non-biased visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction with water oxidation.

We found that plasmonic Au particles on titanium(IV) oxide (TiO₂) act as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for overall water splitting free from any additives.

Barium-modified Ta₃N₅ for the promotion of proton reduction is first employed as a H₂-evolving photocatalyst for visible-light-driven Z-scheme overall water splitting.

Trinuclear Re(I)-rings were applied as redox photosensitizers in visible light-driven CO₂ reduction in tandem with various catalysts, i.e., Re(I)-, Ru(II)- and Mn(I)-diimine metal complex. The quantum yields for the Ru(II) and Mn(I) catalysts were the among highest reported.

The first example of tantalum nitride electrodes on transparent conductive oxide substrates, which enables solar water splitting, is presented.

The key to phase junctions for efficient charge separation is to consider both the phase alignment and interface structure.

Controlled layered structures fabricated by thin film transfer enhance the photoelectrochemical water splitting on Ta₃N₅ photoanodes.

Layer-by-layer assembly of a Ru dye and Ni catalyst on a p-type NiO photocathode enables photoelectrochemical H₂ generation in water.

A hybrid photocatalytic system consisting of a Ru(II) binuclear complex and Ag-loaded TaON can reduce CO₂ to HCOOH by visible light irradiation even in aqueous solution (TON_HCOOH = 750, Φ_HCOOH = 0.48%).

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with 3d transition metal molecular catalysts and light has been accomplished.

Direct splitting of pure water into H₂ and O₂ in a stoichiometric molar ratio of 2 : 1 by conjugated polymers via a 4-electron pathway was established for the first time, as demonstrated here using a g-C₃N₄ polymer and redox co-catalysts of Pt and Co species.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to formic acid with high efficiency, durability, and rate.

A new dyad for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction produces ten times more CO and much longer-lived charge-separation than earlier rhenium-porphyrin dyads.

La₅Ti₂CuS₅O₇ embedded into the surface of Au and Ti substrates shows a photocurrent attributable to HER and OER.

We report the effects of installing redox-active pyrazines at distinct positions in a series of isostructural Co catalysts.

The electron-donating ability of the sacrificial agent and the protonation of the catalyst determine the optimum pH for hydrogen production.

Intrinsic doping of hematite through the inclusion of oxygen vacancies (V_O) is being increasingly explored as a simple, low temperature route to preparing active water splitting α-Fe₂O_3−x photoelectrodes.

New Ru(II)–Re(I) diads with bridging ligands constructed of two diimines connected by –CH₂OCH₂– or –CH₂SCH₂– were synthesized and investigated as photocatalysts with enhanced oxidation power.