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Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
Published on: August 23, 2012
Strategies for Efficient Charge Separation and Transfer in Artificial Photosynthesis of Solar Fuels
Yuxing Xu1,2, Ailong Li1,2, Tingting Yao1
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Converting sunlight to solar fuels by artificial photosynthesis is an innovative science and technology for renewable energy. Light harvesting, photogenerated charge separation and transfer (CST), and catalytic reactions are the three primary steps in the processes involved in the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy (SE-CE). Among the processes, CST is the key "energy pump and delivery" step in determining the overall solar-energy conversion efficiency. Efficient CST is always high priority in designing and assembling artificial photosynthesis systems for solar-fuel production. This Review not only introduces the fundamental strategies for CST but also the combinatory application of these strategies to five types of the most-investigated semiconductor-based artificial photosynthesis systems: particulate, Z-scheme, hybrid, photoelectrochemical, and photovoltaics-assisted systems. We show that artificial photosynthesis systems with high SE-CE efficiency can be rationally designed and constructed through combinatory application of these strategies, setting a promising blueprint for the future of solar fuels.
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