Researchers from Japan have made a groundbreaking discovery in solar fuel technology, developing nanosized oxyhalide photocatalysts that achieve record performance in producing hydrogen and converting carbon dioxide into formic acid using sunlight. The breakthrough offers a scalable, eco-friendly approach to solar fuel production.
The development of photocatalysts is crucial for harnessing sunlight to produce useful fuels. Lead-based oxyhalides have shown promise as these materials have a narrow bandgap, enabling efficient absorption of visible light and resisting harsh oxidative conditions.
In a significant advancement, scientists from the Institute of Science Tokyo in Japan have synthesized smaller, more porous nanosized oxyhalide particles, achieving photocatalytic activity up to 60 times higher than previously reported. The study, led by Professor Kazuhiko Maeda, employed a low-temperature, eco-friendly method and carefully controlled the size and structure of the particles.
The researchers found that reducing particle size enhances catalytic activity by shortening the distance that photogenerated charge carriers must travel to reach the surface, lowering the likelihood of recombination. However, careful control is needed to avoid structural defects, which may negatively impact performance.
The team developed a novel synthesis method using microwave-assisted hydrothermal processing and carefully selected water-soluble titanium complexes to create highly porous structures with surface areas of ~40 m2g-1. This nanostructuring significantly improved photocatalytic activity, achieving record-high quantum yields for hydrogen generation and CO2 reduction.
The breakthrough offers a practical approach for scalable and efficient solar fuel production, addressing global energy challenges. The study underscores the importance of controlling the morphology of oxyhalides to unlock their full potential as photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis.
Source: https://www.miragenews.com/nano-photocatalyst-breakthrough-in-solar-fuel-1505986