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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
Published on: August 23, 2012
Organic photochemistry for direct light-driven separations
Ariel Y Wang1, Bayu I Z Ahmad2, Carolyn Ma2
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University 12 Oxford St. Cambridge MA 02138 USA richardliu@chemistry.harvard.edu.
None:
Compared to conventional methods, direct light-driven separations are promising strategies to achieve high selectivity while lowering energy cost. This perspective examines recent progress in photoswitch-enabled separations with a focus on concentration of CO2 and selective anion recovery from water. We highlight key design strategies for photo-pH-swing capture and identify current practical limitations toward translating solar-driven separations into technologies with meaningful impact.
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