Solar-powered chemistry uses carbon dioxide and water to make raw materials for fuels, chemicals
Diagram of a semiconductor nanowire made of indium, gallium, and nitrogen—decorated with gold and chromium oxide nanoparticles. When light hits the nanowire, it liberates electrons and positively charged “holes” that the electrons leave behind. In the nanowires themselves, the holes oxidize water to protons (hydrogen) and oxygen. Meanwhile, some of the electrons are drawn into the metal nanoparticles, where they break down the carbon dioxide. The molecules recombine into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane molecules to form syngas. Credit: Roksana Rashid, McGill University. Solar-powered synthesis gas can recycle carbon dioxide into useful fuels and chemicals, an international research team has shown. “If we can produce syngas from carbon dioxide using only solar energy, we can use this as a precursor for methanol and other chemicals and fuels. This will significantly reduce the overall CO. 2 emissions,” said Zetian Mi, professo