Joule

Joule

Volume 3, Issue 4, 17 April 2019, Pages 920-937
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Perspective
Solar- versus Thermal-Driven Catalysis for Energy Conversion

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.03.003Get rights and content
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Context & Scale

Thermal catalytic technologies currently available for today’s chemical industry (e.g., Haber-Bosch ammonia synthesis) require high temperatures (>400°C) and pressures (many atmospheres) to achieve viable N2 conversions. Various green alternative technologies are now being pursued for N2 and other small-molecule (such as CH4 and CO2) activation and conversion. Solar-driven catalysis is particularly attractive because of the abundance of solar energy on Earth as well as its high selectivity under mild reaction conditions, potentially providing an alternative green and sustainable route for energy conversion and/or storage. This Perspective focuses on the recent advances in small molecules (CH4, benzene, CO, CO2, and N2) and fine chemical synthesis by either solar or thermal catalysis and presents a critical assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of solar-driven catalysis, as compared with the traditional thermal catalysis, in terms of catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. A classification of various mechanisms between solar-driven and thermal catalysis will be clearly summarized to provide a systematic understanding on the chemical bonding activation and reaction and resulting in a new vista for future research on catalytic energy conversion/storage.

Summary

Today’s chemical industry is a pillar of our modern society, but it heavily relies on the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels. The reaction conditions required to drive most of the chemical processes require high energy input, resulting in the consumption of significant amounts of dwindling reserves of fossil fuels. Therefore, more sustainable pathways are much sought after to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and ameliorate the effects of climate change. Inspired by photosynthesis and its ability to convert CO2 and H2O to hydrocarbons, this Perspective focuses on recent advances in catalytic small-molecule activation and conversion. It will consider reactions of C-H (CH4, benzene), C=O (CO and CO2), N≡N bonds, and other fine chemicals syntheses (e.g., C-C and S-S bond coupling), driven by either solar or thermal energy. The paper also discusses the future opportunities and challenges by highlighting some strategies for the development of efficient solar or thermal catalysis processes.

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These authors contributed equally

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