Solar Photocatalysis for Hydrogen Production and CO ₂ Conversion

Effect of Fluorination on the Surface Properties of Titania P25 Powder: An FTIR Study

“…Photoeffects at the TiO 2 interface have potential for a wide variety of environmentally friendly applications, ranging from photocatalytic water purification to hydrogen generation through water photosplitting, to functional coatings with self-cleaning and superhydrophilic properties. − …”

“…The influence of inorganic anions on photocatalytic processes over TiO 2 has been known for a long time . Among such species are the redox inactive fluoride anions, , which have received attention as surface modifiers of titania powders ,− and films, − and also as etching agents. − Interestingly, both density functional theory (DFT) calculations and hydrothermal synthesis experiments in the presence of fluoride recently showed that fluoride termination stabilizes the high energy surfaces of anatase, reversing the relative stability of the (001) and (101) facets …”

Towards Solar Fuels from Water and CO2

“…The photoreduction of CO 2 to methanol by using a TiO 2 photocatalyst was studied by many authors and reviewed recently. [13,60] The main issues are related to the very low quantum efficiency, due to quenching effects, low solubility of CO 2 and low productivity, with formation of highly diluted solutions from which the recovery of methanol and other byproducts is energetically more expensive than the value of the product itself.…”

“…Many studies have been dedicated recently on the water splitting on semiconductor catalysts under solar irradiation, as reviewed recently. [13,[42][43] Remarkable progress has been made since the pioneering work by Fujishima and Honda, [44] but the development of photocatalysts with improved efficiencies still faces major challenges. [4,12] Recent efforts focus on new materials and synthesis methods for efficient photocatalysts.…”

“…Therefore, the conversion of CO 2 back to fuels using solar energy should be part of the future energy scenario. [8,9,[12][13][14][15][16] Electrical energy could be used to produce chemical fuels, for example H 2 by electrolysis. Tributsch [17] recently reviewed the outlooks and economics of the photovoltaic hydrogen generation.…”