National Science Open (Aug 2023)

A new artificial photosynthetic system coupling photovoltaic electrocatalysis with solar heating catalysis

  • Li Yaguang,
  • Meng Fanqi,
  • Bai Xianhua,
  • Yuan Dachao,
  • San Xingyuan,
  • Wang Shufang,
  • Gu Lin,
  • Meng Qingbo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1360/nso/20230033
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2

Abstract

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In this work, we present a novel artificial photosynthetic paradigm with square meter (m2) level scalable production by integrating photovoltaic electrolytic water splitting device and solar heating CO2 hydrogenation device, successfully achieving the synergy of 1 sun driven 19.4% solar to chemical energy efficiency (STC) for CO production (2.7 times higher than that of large-sized artificial photosynthetic systems) with a low cost (equivalent to 1/7 of reported artificial photosynthetic systems). Furthermore, the outdoor artificial photosynthetic demonstration with 1.268 m2 of scale exhibits the CO generation amount of 258.4 L per day, the STC of ~15.5% for CO production in winter, which could recover the cost within 833 sunny days of operation by selling CO.

Keywords