Noble metal-free catalysis for renewable fuel production

Description

The global drive to replace fossil fuels by renewable energy sources has created a critical need to develop advanced energy conversion methods. Artificial photosynthesis, where sunlight is used as a virtually endless source of energy and abundant substrates as a cheap source of electrons for CO2 reduction, has emerged as a possible path towards carbon neutrality.

In this project, funded by Vinnova, we design and fabricate next-generation photosensitive materials for the conversion of solar energy into renewable fuels. These materials should have important implications for the so-called photoelectrochemical cells (PECs). While the photoelectrode materials in most state-of-the-art PECs or solar fuel cells are based on scarce noble metals, mainly iridium, we utilize catalysts based on first-row transition metals. Our materials are recyclable, environmentally benign and cheap, which is a prerequisite for the PECs scalability.