Hui Song

Solar H2 production is considered as a potentially promising way to utilize solar energy and tackle climate change stemming from the combustion of fossil fuels. Photocatalytic, photoelectrochemical, photovoltaic–electrochemical, solar thermochemical, photothermal catalytic, and photobiological technologies are the most intensively studied routes for solar H2 production. In this Focus Review, we provide a comprehensive review of these technologies. After a brief introduction of the principles and

Direct conversion of methane into methanol and other liquid oxygenates still confronts considerable challenges in activating the first C-H bond of methane and inhibiting overoxidation. Here, we report that ZnO loaded with appropriate cocatalysts (Pt, Pd, Au, or Ag) enables direct oxidation of methane to methanol and formaldehyde in water using only molecular oxygen as the oxidant under mild light irradiation at room temperature. Up to 250 micromoles of liquid oxygenates with ∼95% selectivity is

Solar-to-fuel conversion through photocatalytic processes is regarded as promising technology with the potential to reduce reliance on dwindling reserves of fossil fuels and to support the sustainable development of our society. However, conventional semiconductor-based photocatalytic systems suffer from unsatisfactory reaction efficiencies due to limited light harvesting abilities. Recent pioneering work from several groups, including ours, has demonstrated that visible and infrared light can b

Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is attractive for the production of valuable fuels and mitigating the influence of greenhouse gas emission. However, the extreme inertness of CO₂ and the sluggish kinetics of photoexcited charge carrier transfer process greatly limit the conversion efficiency of CO₂ photoreduction. Herein, we report that the plasmonic coupling effect of Pt and Au nanoparticles (NPs) profoundly enhances the efficiency of CO<sub>2</s

Direct and selective oxidation of CH4 with dioxygen to methanol is a "dream reaction" in modern catalysis yet remains a great challenge. Here, we report that TiO2 loaded with dual cocatalysts, that is, nanometals and cobalt oxide (CoOx) nanoclusters, is capable of selectively catalyzing CH4 to CH3OH at room temperature under photoexcitation using abundant and inexpensive O-2 as an oxidant. The best activity for the formation of the primary products, CH3OOH and CH3OH, is up to 50.8 pmol for 2 h w

Hot-carrier-induced molecular activation over photoexcited metal nanostructures is an important research field in solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Here, we report that visible light-illuminated TiO2-supported Rh nanoparticles could significantly enhance methane (CH4) activation in steam methane reforming at mild operating temperature (below 300 °C) with an ∼50% decrease in apparent activation energy compared to that of the pure thermal process. Femtosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopi

Black TiO2 nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention since they usually exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities. Herein, we report the facile preparation of black TiO2 nanostructures with ultrathin hollow sphere morphology, high crystalline quality, small grain size (∼8 nm), and ultrahigh surface area (168.8 m2 g–1) through Al reduction. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra demonstrate the existence of oxygen vacancies in black TiO2 nanostructures, which could increase the

ZnFe₂O₄/ZnO nanoheterostructures are synthesized by a facile template method. The hydrogen generation rate of ZnFe₂O₄/ZnO nanoheterostructures without co-catalysts is up to 2.15 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ under visible light irradiation (<italic>λ</italic> &gt; 420 nm), which is 45 times higher than the best yields ever reported for ZnFe₂O₄-based photocatalysts.

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is a promising reaction that enables efficient production and safe transportation of hydrogen, but it requires a relatively high temperature to achieve high activity, leading to large energy consumption. Here, we report a plasmonic ZnCu alloy catalyst, consisting of plasmonic Cu nanoparticles with surface-deposited Zn atoms, for efficient solar-driven MSR without additional thermal energy input. Experimental results and theoretical calculations suggest that Zn atom

Direct photocatalytic oxidation of methane to liquid oxygenated products is a sustainable strategy for methane valorization at room temperature. However, in this reaction, noble metals are generally needed to function as cocatalysts for obtaining adequate activity and selectivity. Here, we report atomically dispersed nickel anchored on a nitrogen-doped carbon/TiO₂ composite (Ni-NC/TiO₂ ) as a highly active and selective catalyst for photooxidation of CH₄ to C1 ox