Photoelectrocatalysis for Hydrogen Evolution Ventures into the World of Organic Synthesis

The use of light as a catalytic prompt for the synthesis of industrial relevant compounds is widely explored in the past years, with a special consideration over the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, semiconductors for heterogeneous photocatalysis suffer from fast charge recombination and,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global challenges 2024-06, Vol.8 (6), p.2400012-n/a
Main Authors: Sportelli, Giuseppe, Marchi, Miriam, Fornasiero, Paolo, Filippini, Giacomo, Franco, Federico, Melchionna, Michele
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Chemical synthesis
Consumption
Current carriers
Hydrogen
Hydrogen evolution reactions
Hydrogen production
Hydrogen storage
Hydrogenation
hydrogenations
Light
Organic compounds
organic syntheses
Photocatalysis
photoelectrochemistry
Solar energy
Water
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Summary:The use of light as a catalytic prompt for the synthesis of industrial relevant compounds is widely explored in the past years, with a special consideration over the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, semiconductors for heterogeneous photocatalysis suffer from fast charge recombination and, consequently, low solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency. These drawbacks can be mitigated by coupling photocatalysts with an external circuit that can physically separate the photogenerated charge carriers (electrons and holes). For this reason, photoelectrochemical (PEC) production of hydrogen is under the spotlight as promising green and sustainable technique and widely investigated in numerous publications. However, considering that a significant fraction of the hydrogen produced is used for reduction processes, the development of PEC devices for direct in situ hydrogenation can address the challenges associated with hydrogen storage and distribution. This Perspective aims at highlighting the fundamental aspects of HER from PEC systems, and how these can be harnessed toward the implementation of suitable settings for the hydrogenation of organic compounds of industrial value. Photoelectrochemistry (PEC) is under the spotlight as promising green and sustainable technique for the production of hydrogen. However, issues related to its storage and distribution promote the development of strategies that may couple also direct H2 utilization. This Perspective showcases the recent advancements concerning the in situ hydrogenation of organic molecules though PEC devices.
ISSN:2056-6646
2056-6646
DOI:10.1002/gch2.202400012