Solar light, catalytic conversion

Sayama K, Mukasa K, Abe R, Abe Y, Arakawa H (2002) Photo-catalytic water splitting system into H2 and 02 under visible light irradiation mimicking a Z-scheme mechanism in photosynthesis. Solar Light Energy Conversion Team, Photoreaction Control Research Center, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki, Japan... 

Methane reforming reaction is accomplished under the action of heat collected from mirror concentrator of solar light. The mixture of CO and H2 produced in this reaction can be stored and then, when necessary, converted into high-potential heat (with the temperature up to 950 K) in the methanation catalytic reactor. The efficiency of solar-to-chemical energy conversion as high as... 

The p>orphyiins have attracted considerable attention because are ubiquitous in natural systems and have prosp>ective applications in mimicking enzymes, catalytic reactions, photodynamic therapy, molecular electronic devices and conversion of solar energy. In particular, munerous p>orphyrins based artificial light-harvesting antennae, and donor acceptor dyads and triads have been prepared and tested to improve our understanding of the photochemical aspect of natural photosynthesis. 

Eor efiicient PEC solar conversion, good light absorption and carrier transport in the semiconductor bulk is essential. The next critical factor is the efficient extraction of carriers at the interfaces of both the hydrogen and oxygen evolving electrode surfaces. Some commonly employed surface modification techniques to catalytically enhance these surfaces are discussed here. 

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