Solar photothermochemical alkane reverse combustion
Abstract
An efficient solar process for the one-step conversion of CO2 and H2O to C5+ liquid hydrocarbons and O2 would revolutionize how solar fuel replacements for gasoline, jet, and diesel solar fuels could be produced and could lead to a carbon-neutral fuel cycle. We demonstrate that this reaction is possible in a single-step process by operating the photocatalytic reaction at elevated temperatures and pressures. The process uses cheap and earth-abundant catalytic materials, and the unusual operating conditions expand the range of materials that can be developed as photocatalysts. Whereas the efficiency of the current system is not commercially viable, it is far from optimized and it opens a promising new path by which such solar processes may be realized.
- Publication:
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- March 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1516945113
- Bibcode:
- 2016PNAS..113.2579C