Electrode Materials and Artificial Photosynthetic Systems
Résumé
This conclusion chapter shows how the homogeneous molecular catalysts developed through the bio‐inspired approach can be exploited in a technological context. It discusses how a homogeneous molecular catalyst can be immobilized on electrode surface to engineer catalytic materials. The chapter discusses recent advances in the development of solid‐state metal‐sulfides hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts as well as electrode materials engineered from these materials. With efficient catalytic materials in hand, the next step toward the construction of a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell is the combination with a light‐harvesting agent that converts the photon energy into an electrochemical potential, finally used by the catalyst to generate the fuel. Here also, two solutions can be used, whether the light‐harvesting element is a solid‐state semiconductor material or a molecular photosensitizer. One of the most exciting and challenging reactions, also related to artificial photosynthesis, is the photoreduction of CO2 into carbon‐based fuels.