Heterogeneous photocatalysis can help scientists sustainably control products and byproducts of chemical reactions, including reducing CO₂

 Given the current global theme of development in CO2 reduction and sustainable energy utilization it is going to be necessary to move away from strong oxidizing or reducing reagents  and harsh reaction conditions and more towards heterogeneous photocatalysis. This will enable sustainable solar-to-chemical energy conversion under mild conditions (e.g., room temperature, ambient pressure, and air as the oxidant) and offers unique reaction pathways for improved selectivity control. To accurately tailor the selectivity of desired products, the electronic structure (e.g., positions of valence-band maximum and conduction-band minimum), geometric structure (e.g., nanorod, nanosheet, and porous morphology), and surface chemical micro-environment (e.g., vacancy sites and co-catalysts) of heterogeneous photocatalysts require rational design and construction of a new breed of catalysts. The researchers from Tsinghua University demonstrated how heterogeneous photocatalysis can improve various organic transformations across industries.

Y. Dai, Y. Xiong, Control of selectivity in organic synthesis via heterogeneous photocatalysis under visible light. Nano Research Energy; 2022


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