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Nanoscale Engineering in the Development of Photoelectrocatalytic Cells for Producing Solar Fuels

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Abstract

Engineering at the nanoscale level is a key aspect for the design of novel devices for sustainable energy to address the changeover from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This perspective paper, after introducing this topic, analyses the design and development of photoelectrocatalytic cells for producing solar fuels. To overcome limitations in the design of photoelectrocatalytic cells, a different one is proposed which eliminates the need of having a liquid electrolyte, where the electrodes are immersed. This cell design requires specific characteristics in the related electrodes/materials, which in combination with the different operation conditions, determine the need to investigate new fundamental aspects in the area. Some of the aspects analyzed regard (i) the role of nanostructure for visible light absorption of the semiconductor used, (ii) the need to use catalytic concepts (photoelectro-catalysis rather than photoelectro-chemistry), (iii) the mobility of charge carriers and relation with electrode characteristics, and (iv) space charge and Helmholtz layer.

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Acknowledgments

PRIN10-11 project “Mechanisms of activation of CO2 for the design of new materials for energy and resource efficiency” is gratefully acknowledged for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of DIECII, Section Industrial Chemistry, University of Messina, CASPE-INSTM and ERIC aisbl, Messina, Italy

    Claudio Ampelli, Chiara Genovese, Gabriele Centi, Rosalba Passalacqua & Siglinda Perathoner

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  1. Claudio Ampelli
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  2. Chiara Genovese
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  3. Gabriele Centi
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  5. Siglinda Perathoner
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Correspondence to Siglinda Perathoner.

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Invited lecture at 2015 Rideal Conference, 25–27th March 2015, Berlin (Germany).

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Ampelli, C., Genovese, C., Centi, G. et al. Nanoscale Engineering in the Development of Photoelectrocatalytic Cells for Producing Solar Fuels. Top Catal 59, 757–771 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-016-0547-5

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