Materials for solar fuels and chemicals
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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Solar-Driven Electrochemical Green Fuel Production from CO2 and Water Using Ti3C2Tx MXene-Supported CuZn and NiCo Catalysts
Published on: November 7, 2025
Joseph H Montoya1,2,3, Linsey C Seitz1,2,3, Pongkarn Chakthranont1,2
1SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Abstract:
The conversion of sunlight into fuels and chemicals is an attractive prospect for the storage of renewable energy, and photoelectrocatalytic technologies represent a pathway by which solar fuels might be realized. However, there are numerous scientific challenges in developing these technologies. These include finding suitable materials for the absorption of incident photons, developing more efficient catalysts for both water splitting and the production of fuels, and understanding how interfaces between catalysts, photoabsorbers and electrolytes can be designed to minimize losses and resist degradation. In this Review, we highlight recent milestones in these areas and some key scientific challenges remaining between the current state of the art and a technology that can effectively convert sunlight into fuels and chemicals.
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