Solar-based Synthesis of Organic Chemicals from CO 2 and Water: —Semiconductor/Metal-Complex Hybrid Photosystem—@@@—半導体/金属錯体ハイブリッド光触媒—

Abstract

Developing a system for the production of organic chemicals via carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction is an important area of research that has the potential to address global warming and fossil fuel consumption. The present study demonstrates artificial photosynthesis for the direct production of organic substances under sunlight using a hybrid photocatalyst composed of a semiconductor and a metal complex catalyst. A solar to chemical energy conversion efficiency of 4.6%, calculated from the change in Gibbs free energy per mole of formic acid formation from CO2 and water (H2O), was demonstrated for CO2 photoreduction utilizing H2O as an electron donor under simulated solar light irradiation to a monolithic tablet-shaped device. These results which store solar photon energy in CO2 molecules could show promise for future progress in this field.