1
|
Loh JYY, Wang A, Mohan A, Tountas AA, Gouda AM, Tavasoli A, Ozin GA. Leave No Photon Behind: Artificial Intelligence in Multiscale Physics of Photocatalyst and Photoreactor Design. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306604. [PMID: 38477404 PMCID: PMC11095204 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Although solar fuels photocatalysis offers the promise of converting carbon dioxide directly with sunlight as commercially scalable solutions have remained elusive over the past few decades, despite significant advancements in photocatalysis band-gap engineering and atomic site activity. The primary challenge lies not in the discovery of new catalyst materials, which are abundant, but in overcoming the bottlenecks related to material-photoreactor synergy. These factors include achieving photogeneration and charge-carrier recombination at reactive sites, utilizing high mass transfer efficiency supports, maximizing solar collection, and achieving uniform light distribution within a reactor. Addressing this multi-dimensional problem necessitates harnessing machine learning techniques to analyze real-world data from photoreactors and material properties. In this perspective, the challenges are outlined associated with each bottleneck factor, review relevant data analysis studies, and assess the requirements for developing a comprehensive solution that can unlock the full potential of solar fuels photocatalysis technology. Physics-informed machine learning (or Physics Neural Networks) may be the key to advancing this important area from disparate data towards optimal reactor solutions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joel Yi Yang Loh
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
- The Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringThe Photon Science InstituteAlan Turing Building, Oxford RdManchesterM13 9PYUK
| | - Andrew Wang
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
| | - Abhinav Mohan
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
- The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry200 College St, TorontoOntarioM5S 3E5Canada
| | - Athanasios A. Tountas
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
- The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry200 College St, TorontoOntarioM5S 3E5Canada
| | - Abdelaziz M. Gouda
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
| | - Alexandra Tavasoli
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
- The Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of British Columbia6250 Applied Science Ln #2054VancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
| | - Geoffrey A. Ozin
- Solar Fuels Group, Department of ChemistryUniversity of Toronto80 St. George StreetTorontoOntarioM5S 3H6Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schuurmans JHA, Masson TM, Zondag SDA, Buskens P, Noël T. Solar-Driven Continuous CO 2 Reduction to CO and CH 4 using Heterogeneous Photothermal Catalysts: Recent Progress and Remaining Challenges. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301405. [PMID: 38033222 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The urgent need to reduce the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere and keep the effects of climate change manageable has brought the concept of carbon capture and utilization to the forefront of scientific research. Amongst the promising pathways for this conversion, sunlight-powered photothermal processes, synergistically using both thermal and non-thermal effects of light, have gained significant attention. Research in this field focuses both on the development of catalysts and continuous-flow photoreactors, which offer significant advantages over batch reactors, particularly for scale-up. Here, we focus on sunlight-driven photothermal conversion of CO2 to chemical feedstock CO and CH4 as synthetic fuel. This review provides an overview of the recent progress in the development of photothermal catalysts and continuous-flow photoreactors and outlines the remaining challenges in these areas. Furthermore, it provides insight in additional components required to complete photothermal reaction systems for continuous production (e. g., solar concentrators, sensors and artificial light sources). In addition, our review emphasizes the necessity of integrated collaboration between different research areas, like chemistry, material science, chemical engineering, and optics, to establish optimized systems and reach the full potential of this technology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasper H A Schuurmans
- Flow Chemistry Group, Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom M Masson
- Flow Chemistry Group, Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan D A Zondag
- Flow Chemistry Group, Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Buskens
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), High Tech Campus 25, 5656 AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Design and Synthesis of Inorganic Materials (DESINe), Institute for Materials Research, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Timothy Noël
- Flow Chemistry Group, Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Solar-Driven Photocatalytic Films: Synthesis Approaches, Factors Affecting Environmental Activity, and Characterization Features. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2022; 380:51. [PMID: 36180757 PMCID: PMC9525398 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-022-00409-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Solar-powered photocatalysis has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1990s, producing more than a thousand research papers per year over the past decade. In this review, immobilized photocatalysts operating under sunlight are highlighted. First, a literature review of solar-driven films is presented, along with some fundamental operational differences in relation to reactions involving suspended nanoparticles. Common strategies for achieving sunlight activity from films are then described, including doping, surface grafting, semiconductor coupling, and defect engineering. Synthetic routes to fabricate photocatalytically active films are briefly reviewed, followed by the important factors that determine solar photocatalysis efficiency, such as film thickness and structure. Finally, some important and specific characterization methods for films are described. This review shows that there are two main challenges in the study of photocatalytic materials in the form of (thin) films. First, the production of stable and efficient solar-driven films is still a challenge that requires an integrated approach from synthesis to characterization. The second is the difficulty in properly characterizing films. In any case, the research community needs to address these, as solar-driven photocatalytic films represent a viable option for sustainable air and water purification.
Collapse
|
4
|
Matter F, Niederberger M. The Importance of the Macroscopic Geometry in Gas-Phase Photocatalysis. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105363. [PMID: 35243811 PMCID: PMC9069382 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Photocatalysis has the potential to make a major technological contribution to solving pressing environmental and energy problems. There are many strategies for improving photocatalysts, such as tuning the composition to optimize visible light absorption, charge separation, and surface chemistry, ensuring high crystallinity, and controlling particle size and shape to increase overall surface area and exploit the reactivity of individual crystal facets. These processes mainly affect the nanoscale and are therefore summarized as nanostructuring. In comparison, microstructuring is performed on a larger size scale and is mainly concerned with particle assembly and thin film preparation. Interestingly, most structuring efforts stop at this point, and there are very few examples of geometry optimization on a millimeter or even centimeter scale. However, the recent work on nanoparticle-based aerogel monoliths has shown that this size range also offers great potential for improving the photocatalytic performance of materials, especially when the macroscopic geometry of the monolith is matched to the design of the photoreactor. This review article is dedicated to this aspect and addresses some issues and open questions that arise when working with macroscopically large photocatalysts. Guidelines are provided that could help develop novel and efficient photocatalysts with a truly 3D architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Matter
- Laboratory for Multifunctional MaterialsDepartment of MaterialsETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 5Zurich8093Switzerland
| | - Markus Niederberger
- Laboratory for Multifunctional MaterialsDepartment of MaterialsETH ZurichVladimir‐Prelog‐Weg 5Zurich8093Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fang S, Hu YH. Thermo-photo catalysis: a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:3609-3647. [PMID: 35419581 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00782c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Thermo-photo catalysis, which is the catalysis with the participation of both thermal and photo energies, not only reduces the large energy consumption of thermal catalysis but also addresses the low efficiency of photocatalysis. As a whole greater than the sum of its parts, thermo-photo catalysis has been proven as an effective and promising technology to drive chemical reactions. In this review, we first clarify the definition (beyond photo-thermal catalysis and plasmonic catalysis), classification, and principles of thermo-photo catalysis and then reveal its superiority over individual thermal catalysis and photocatalysis. After elucidating the design principles and strategies toward highly efficient thermo-photo catalytic systems, an ample discussion on the synergetic effects of thermal and photo energies is provided from two perspectives, namely, the promotion of photocatalysis by thermal energy and the promotion of thermal catalysis by photo energy. Subsequently, state-of-the-art techniques applied to explore thermo-photo catalytic mechanisms are reviewed, followed by a summary on the broad applications of thermo-photo catalysis and its energy management toward industrialization. In the end, current challenges and potential research directions related to thermo-photo catalysis are outlined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Fang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295, USA.
| | - Yun Hang Hu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Barba-Nieto I, Gómez-Cerezo N, Kubacka A, Fernández-García M. Oxide-based composites: applications in thermo-photocatalysis. Catal Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1cy01067k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress on oxide-based thermo-photocatalytic composite systems. Role of plasmonic, defect-related, and thermal effects on the catalytic performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Barba-Nieto
- Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, CSIC, Marie Curie 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anna Kubacka
- Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, CSIC, Marie Curie 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mine S, Yamaguchi T, Ting KW, Maeno Z, Siddiki SMAH, Oshima K, Satokawa S, Shimizu KI, Toyao T. Reverse water-gas shift reaction over Pt/MoO x/TiO 2: reverse Mars–van Krevelen mechanism via redox of supported MoO x. Catal Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1cy00289a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pt/MoOx/TiO2 shows excellent catalytic performance for the reverse water-gas shift reaction at 250 °C via reverse Mars–van Krevelen mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Mine
- Institute for Catalysis
- Hokkaido University
- Japan
| | | | | | - Zen Maeno
- Institute for Catalysis
- Hokkaido University
- Japan
| | | | - Kazumasa Oshima
- Department of Materials and Life Science
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Seikei University
- Musashino
- Japan
| | - Shigeo Satokawa
- Department of Materials and Life Science
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Seikei University
- Musashino
- Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Shimizu
- Institute for Catalysis
- Hokkaido University
- Japan
- Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries
- Kyoto University
| | - Takashi Toyao
- Institute for Catalysis
- Hokkaido University
- Japan
- Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries
- Kyoto University
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Recent Advances in Photocatalytic CO2 Utilisation Over Multifunctional Metal–Organic Frameworks. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10101176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficient conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) to high-value chemicals using renewable solar energy is a highly attractive but very challenging process that is used to address ever-growing energy demands and environmental issues. In recent years, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have received significant research attention owing to their tuneability in terms of their composition, structure, and multifunctional characteristics. The functionalisation of MOFs by metal nanoparticles (NPs) is a promising approach used to enhance their light absorption and photocatalytic activity. The efficient charge separation and strong CO2 binding affinity of hybrid MOF-based photocatalysts facilitate the CO2 conversion process. This review summarises the latest advancements involving noble metal, non-noble-metal, and miscellaneous species functionalised MOF-based hybrid photocatalysts for the reduction of CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) and other value-added chemicals. The novel synthetic strategies and their corresponding structure–property relationships have also been discussed for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Furthermore, the current challenges and prospects in practical applications are also highlighted for sustainable energy production.
Collapse
|
9
|
Dong Y, Duchesne P, Mohan A, Ghuman KK, Kant P, Hurtado L, Ulmer U, Loh JYY, Tountas AA, Wang L, Jelle A, Xia M, Dittmeyer R, Ozin GA. Shining light on CO2: from materials discovery to photocatalyst, photoreactor and process engineering. Chem Soc Rev 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00597e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Materials engineering, theoretical modelling, reactor engineering and process development of gas-phase photocatalytic CO2 reduction exemplified by indium oxide systems.
Collapse
|