Photocatalysts Based on Organic Semiconductors with Tunable Energy Levels for Solar Fuel Applications
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Chemical Science ProgramPhysical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
KAUST Solar Center (KSC)
KAUST Grant Number
OSR-2018-CARF/CCF-3079OSR-2015-CRG4-2572
OSR -4106 CPF2019
Date
2020-09-02Online Publication Date
2020-09-02Print Publication Date
2020-10Submitted Date
2020-06-12Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/665013
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The photocatalytic synthesis of solar fuels such as hydrogen and methane from water and carbon dioxide is a promising strategy to store abundant solar energy in order to overcome its intermittency. Although this approach has been studied for decades using inorganic semiconductor photocatalysts, organic semiconductors have only recently gained notable attention. The tunable energy levels of organic semiconductors can enable the design of photocatalysts with optimized solar light utilization. However, the solar conversion efficiency of organic semiconductor photocatalysts has so far been limited by their low quantum efficiencies. To address this issue, various photocatalyst design strategies including semiconductor energy level optimization, surface modification, and the fabrication of heterojunctions have been applied, resulting in substantial increases in photocatalytic efficiency. This progress report systematically describes the strategies employed to increase the efficiency of organic semiconductor photocatalysts for the generation of solar fuels from water and carbon dioxide. Particular attention is given to describing strategies to enhance quantum efficiency, and insights are provided on the mechanisms underlying their success to aid the rational design of future organic photocatalysts. Perspectives on the future challenges and promising research directions for the design of efficient organic photocatalysts for the generation of solar fuels are also provided.Citation
Kosco, J., Moruzzi, F., Willner, B., & McCulloch, I. (2020). Photocatalysts Based on Organic Semiconductors with Tunable Energy Levels for Solar Fuel Applications. Advanced Energy Materials, 2001935. doi:10.1002/aenm.202001935Sponsors
The research reported in this publication was supported by funding from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) under Award Nos. OSR-2018-CARF/CCF-3079, OSR-2015-CRG4-2572, and OSR -4106 CPF2019. The authors acknowledge EC FP7 Project SC2 (610115), EC H2020 (643791), and EPSRC Projects EP/G037515/1, EP/M005143/1, and EP/L016702/1.Publisher
WileyJournal
Advanced Energy MaterialsAdditional Links
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aenm.202001935ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1002/aenm.202001935
Scopus Count
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.