Artificial photosynthesis as a frontier technology for energy sustainability

Faunce, Thomas; Styring, Stenbjörn; Wasielewski, Michael R.; Brudvig, Gary W.; Rutherford, A. William; Messinger, Johannes; Lee, Adam F.; Hill, Craig L.; deGroot, Huub; Fontecave, Marc; MacFarlane, Douglas R.; Hankamer, Ben; Nocera, Daniel G.; Tiede, David M.; Dau, Holger; Hillier, Warwick; Wang, Luyao; Amal, Rose

doi:10.1039/c3ee40534f

Cited by 298 publications

(226 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

224

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The production of fuels through light-driven processes is a promising solution for the durable storage of solar energy [1][2][3]. For example, molecular hydrogen can be produced from water splitting with O 2 being generated as a side product.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dye-sensitized PS- b -P2VP-templated nickel oxide films for photoelectrochemical applications

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Moving from homogeneous water-splitting photocatalytic systems to photoelectrochemical devices requires the preparation and evaluation of novel p-type transparent conductive photoelectrode substrates. We report here on the sensitization of polystyrene-block-poly-(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) diblock copolymer-templated NiO films with an organic push -pull dye. The potential of these new templated NiO film preparations for photoelectrochemical applications is compared with NiO material templated by F108 triblock copolymers. We conclude that NiO films are promising materials for the construction of dye-sensitized photocathodes to be inserted into photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells. However, a combined effort at the interface between materials science and molecular chemistry, ideally funded within a Global Artificial Photosynthesis Project, is still needed to improve the overall performance of the photoelectrodes and progress towards economically viable PEC devices.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dye-sensitized PS- b -P2VP-templated nickel oxide films for photoelectrochemical applications

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…1 The attractive concept of direct chemical storage of solar energy may be denoted as articial photosynthesis and is predicted to become a frontier technology in future energy sustainability. 2 To realize chemical energy storage devices for individual use or applications in developing countries, the (electro)catalysts need to be based on low toxicity and earth-abundant elements such as Mn and Fe; and they have to be active under benign reaction conditions. However, the most active and stable electrocatalysts are based on precious metals like ruthenium and iridium in dimensionally stable anodes working in harsh, acidic environments which limits their application to industrial processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical water splitting by layered and 3D cross-linked manganese oxides: correlating structural motifs and catalytic activity

Bergmann

Zaharieva

Dau

et al. 2013

Energy Environ. Sci.

Self Cite

263

252

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a Manganese based precious metal-free electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are promising materials for energy storage systems based on dark or photo-coupled water electrolysis, because they are active, inexpensive and of low toxicity. In this work, atomic scale structure-activity relationships of two different nano-structured manganese oxides, MnO x , are established using a combination of X-ray absorption, diffraction and electrochemistry. Prepared by chemical symproportionation (s-MnO x ) and impregnation (i-MnO x ), the s-MnO x catalyst consisted of a layered structure similar to d-MnO 2 while the i-MnO x catalyst displayed a mixture of tunnelled, 3D cross-linked b-and defective g-MnO 2 structures. During electrocatalytic oxygen evolution the structural motifs of both MnO x remain largely unchanged, but the oxidation state of Mn increases from 3.5 to 3.9-4.Kinetic parameters of the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction were extracted using Tafel slope analysis and pH titration experiment, and the role of the protons abstracted was analyzed. The study reveals fundamental differences of general importance in the catalytic activity between layered and cross-linked structures. The exclusive presence of di-m-oxo-bridged Mn ions in the layered structure is coupled to a pronounced redox and charge capacity behaviour. This ensured efficient use of surface and bulk active sites, and resulted in a relatively large Tafel slope. Consequently, the intrinsic OER activity is especially high in s-MnO x . In contrast, 3D cross-linked structures with both mono-and di-m-oxo-bridged Mn ions resulted in lower intrinsic activity but smaller Tafel slope, and thus favourable activity at technological water-splitting rates. The insights from this comparative study will provide guidance in the structural design and optimization of other non precious metal oxide OER catalysts. Broader contextThe intermittency of the electrical output power of renewable solar and wind energy devices makes efficient, cost-effective, grid-scale energy storage mandatory. Electrical power storage using molecular bonds (synthesis of fuel molecules) offers a number of advantages over storage in solid state material lattices. As electrolytic synthesis of chemical fuels is a reductive chemical process, a corresponding electrooxidation process at the grid-scale level is essential. Electrochemical water oxidation to molecular oxygen is perhaps the only feasible oxidation process that can provide electrons and protons at the required grid-scale. However, inexpensive, efficient and stable water oxidation catalysts are rare, if non-existent. This is why the development of non-precious water oxidation catalysts has become a scientic priority. Manganese oxides attract special attention as water splitters, as they form the basis for Nature's oxygen evolving complex in the Photosystem II complex. Detailed insight into structure-activity relationships of inorganic Mn containing water splitting materials is still scarce.

show abstract

“…Photosynthetic organisms have met this challenge, and are able to use sunlight to fuel almost all life on Earth [2]. The molecular machinery behind this large-scale power conversion process can serve as a guide for the development of solar energy sources [3][4][5][6]. The efforts towards artificial photosynthesis can be considered in three categories: (i) create elements inspired by photosynthetic systems [7][8][9][10][11]; (ii) incorporate components from photosynthetic organisms [12][13][14][15]; and (iii) use living organisms, either wild-type or genetically modified [16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principles of light harvesting from single photosynthetic complexes

Schlau‐Cohen

2015

Interface Focus.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Photosynthetic systems harness sunlight to power most life on Earth. In the initial steps of photosynthetic light harvesting, absorbed energy is converted to chemical energy with near-unity quantum efficiency. This is achieved by an efficient, directional and regulated flow of energy through a network of proteins. Here, we discuss the following three key principles of this flow and of photosynthetic light harvesting: thermal fluctuations of the protein structure; intrinsic conformational switches with defined functional consequences; and environmentally triggered conformational switches. Through these principles, photosynthetic systems balance two types of operational costs: metabolic costs, or the cost of maintaining and running the molecular machinery, and opportunity costs, or the cost of losing any operational time. Understanding how the molecular machinery and dynamics are designed to balance these costs may provide a blueprint for improved artificial light-harvesting devices. With a multi-disciplinary approach combining knowledge of biology, this blueprint could lead to low-cost and more effective solar energy conversion. Photosynthetic systems achieve widespread light harvesting across the Earth's surface; in the face of our growing energy needs, this is functionality we need to replicate, and perhaps emulate.

show abstract

Artificial photosynthesis as a frontier technology for energy sustainability

Cited by 298 publications

References 8 publications

Dye-sensitized PS- b -P2VP-templated nickel oxide films for photoelectrochemical applications

Dye-sensitized PS- b -P2VP-templated nickel oxide films for photoelectrochemical applications

Electrochemical water splitting by layered and 3D cross-linked manganese oxides: correlating structural motifs and catalytic activity

Principles of light harvesting from single photosynthetic complexes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About