Immobilization of molecular catalysts for artificial photosynthesis

Abstract

Artificial photosynthesis offers a way of producing fuels or high-value chemicals using a limitless energy source of sunlight and abundant resources such as water, CO2, and/or O2. Inspired by the strategies in natural photosynthesis, researchers have developed a number of homogeneous molecular systems for photocatalytic, photoelectrocatalytic, and electrocatalytic artificial photosynthesis. However, their photochemical instability in homogeneous solution are hurdles for scaled application in real life. Immobilization of molecular catalysts in solid supports support provides a fine blueprint to tackle this issue. This review highlights the recent developments in (i) techniques for immobilizing molecular catalysts in solid supports and (ii) catalytic water splitting, CO2 reduction, and O2 reduction with the support-immobilized molecular catalysts. Remaining challenges for molecular catalyst-based devices for artificial photosynthesis are discussed in the end of this review.

Spatial Organization of Photocatalysts and Enzymes on Janus-Type DNA Nanosheets for Efficient CO2 Conversion

“…Again, the regeneration rate with NS1 (0.12 μM/h) was slower than that with complex 3 (0.25 μM/h). The lower yield and slower rate are expected for immobilized catalysts even under photochemical reaction conditions …”

“…The lower yield and slower rate are expected for immobilized catalysts even under photochemical reaction conditions. 29 Photocatalytic NADH Regeneration and Enzymatic CO 2 Reduction. The catalytic CO 2 reduction was performed with FDH under CO 2 atmosphere, coupled with NADH photoregeneration with Rh catalysts.…”

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from biomass conversion

“…A main disadvantage of TiO 2 is that it only absorbs in the UV range (λ < 387 nm) and the solar spectrum is relatively weak in this range of wavelength (~ 4%) [17]. Because of these photocatalytic pitfalls, loading with metal (e.g., platinum) and nonmetal cocatalysts, and modification with visible-light sensitizers (e.g., CdS, g-C 3 N 4 , Eosin Y) has been widely applied to enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 for the hydrogen production from water and biomass derivatives [13,[18][19][20][21].…”

Electrochemically induced deposition of hydroxyl‐terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers encapsulating Pt nanoparticles on indium tin oxide for enhanced electrochemiluminescence

“…Recently, we have reported the electrochemical surface modification of electrode materials including glassy carbon, carbon nanotube, and indium tin oxide (ITO) via electro‐oxidative coupling of amine‐terminated dendrimers 12–14 . The electrochemical modification of electrode surfaces with dendrimers has provided an effective and unique means for surface decoration of electrodes with catalytic nanoparticles because the dendrimers are capable of encapsulating various types of catalytic nanoparticles inside their internal cavity 15–19 . In order to further expand the scope of dendrimers for application in the electrochemical surface modification, our attention has been directed to hydroxyl‐terminated dendrimers as well.…”