By Obiabin Onukwugha
Researchers led by the University of Toronto and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany have engineered a new model for photoreactors efficient at using solar power to convert water, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen into greener chemicals and fuels.
This is according to a press release by the institution published on Wednesday, July 15, this year.
Photoreactors bring together the photons in sunlight and various reactants to produce green chemicals and fuels. This sustainable process, according to the press release, reduces carbon emissions and allows for the generation of clean energy sources.
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“The innovative design allows the photoreactor to capture photons at high efficiency under varying sun directions, eliminating the need for sun-tracking. The panels are also manufacturable via extrusion of polymers, making them inexpensive and easily manufacturable at scale, all of which could help make a sustainable future more affordable and practical.
“Solar cells are renowned for efficiently and economically converting sunlight to green electricity, circumventing the use of greenhouse-gas-emitting fossil fuels,” said Geoffrey Ozin, University Professor in U of T’s department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
The release, however, noted that thus far, photoreactors have not seen vast applications as they have been burdened by several challenges, one of which is the high cost of construction materials and the devices’ reported inefficiency in converting photons to products.
“One area of improvement that can greatly increase the performance of photoreactors is by upgrading their photocatalysts, a material that absorbs light and converts a reactant into a product and is often responsible for energy loss”, the press release added.
