Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
Chemistry of Light-Based Technologies: Photocatalysis
Introduction
A. General Purposes / Uses of Solar Energy

Ref 1: Schultz, D. M.; Yoon, T. P. (2014, February 28 Solar Synthesis: Prospects
in Visible Light Photocatalysis D. M. Schultz, T. P. Yoon, Science 343, 1239176
(2014).
o Sunlight is an abundant, renewable, and inexpensive energy source

Ref 2: “Light.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2015
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light>
o Electromagnetic radiation consisting of infrared to X-rays and everything
inbetween

Ref 3: "Solar." EIA Energy Kids. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=solar_home>.
o After solar energy is converted to thermal energy, it can be used to heat
water and spaces in homes, pools, buildings, and greenhouses; it can be
used to heat fluid which produces steam that powers a generator
o Benefits include no production of air pollutants or CO2 and little impact on
the environment when placed on buildings

Ref 4: Otanicar, T.; Golden, J. Environmental Science & Technology 2009, 43,
6082–6087.
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Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
o Solar powered hot water heaters reduce greenhouse gas and smog
emissions caused from the combustion of fossil fuels

Ref 5: SEIA http://www.seia.org/policy/solar-technology/concentrating-solarpower (accessed Jan 31, 2015).
o Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collects energy from the sun using
mirrors that reflect sunlight into receivers, which convert the sunlight into
heat, generating electricity

Ref 6: Solar Photovoltaic Cells. Mickey, C. Journal of Chemical Education 1981,
58. 418-423
o Solar cells use the photovoltaic effect to convert sunlight to electricity

Ref 7: Wallington, T. J.; Anderson, J. E.; Mueller, S. A.; Morris, E. Kolinksi;
Winkler, S. L.; Ginder, J. M.; Nielsen O. J. Corn Ethanol Production, Food
Exports, and Indirect Land Use Change Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 46, 6379-6384.
o Biomass is a renewable resource that can be chemically converted to fuel.

Ref 8: “Photocatalysis.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2015
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/photocatalysis>
o A chemical reaction accelerated by light that acts either directly or excites
a substance to catalyze the main reaction
2
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
B. General Types of Photocatalysis

Ref 9: Green Earth Nano Science. N.p., 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
Inc.<http://www.greenearthnanoscience.com/what-is-photocatalyst.php>
o Catalysts increase the reaction’s rate by lowering the activation energy,
without being changed or consumed
o Photochemistry is enabled/accelerated by photocatalysis

Ref 10: Basic Functions of Photocatalyst. Web. 31 Jan 2015
<http://www.tipe.com.cn/library/kb2503.htm>
o Sterilizing effect: kills bacteria cells and can decompose the cell itself
o Deodorizing effect: hydroxyl radicals can destroy molecular bonds which
quickens the breakdown of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
o Air purifying effect: can reduce or eliminate polluted compounds in air,
protect lamp-houses and walls in tunneling, prevent white tents from
becoming sooty and dark, and eventually remove CFCs, greenhouse gases,
and more
o Anti fogging, self cleaning: creates self cleaning buildings that are
“antistatic, super oxidative, and hydrophilic”
o Water purification: can disinfect certain bacteria and with UV light, can
oxidize organic pollutants into materials that aren’t toxic such as CO2

Ref 11: Ângelo, J.; Andrade, L; Luís, M. M.; Adélio M. Journal of
Environmental Management. 2013, 129, 522-539.
3
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
o Titanium dioxide is an excellent semiconductor photocatalysis
o Coating buildings and roads with photocatalytic TiO2 reduces pollutants in
the area

Ref 12: Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production by Direct Sunlight: A Laboratory
Experiment. Koca, A.; Sahin, M. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 1314-1315.
o Hydrogen can be produced through photocatalysis of water
o Hydrogen fuel causes less pollution than fossil fuels
o Hydrogen’s future uses include heating homes and offices, generating
electricity, industrial processes, and transportation

Ref 13: Xu, C.; Yang, W.; Guo, Q.; Dai, D.; Chen, M.; Yang, X. Journal of the
American Chemical Society 2014, 136, 602–605.
o Photocatalyst studied is A-TiO2

Ref 14: “Biomass.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015
o Biomass (plant materials, animal wastes) is a fuel source

Ref 7:
o Chemically conversion of biomass (i.e., corn) generates fuels like ethanol.

Ref 15: Yadv, Rajesh K.; Baeg, Jin-Ook; Oh, Gyu Hwan; Park, No-Joong; Kong,
Ki-jeong; Kim, Jinheung; Hwang, Dong Won; Biswas, Soumya K. A
Photocatalyst-Enzyme Coupled Artificial Photosynthesis System for Solar Energy
4
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
in Production of Formic Acid from CO2 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 1145511461.
o Artificial photosynthesis with a photocatalyst coupled-enzyme system
o Graphene-based photocatalyst coupled with a biocatalyst
o Formation of formic acid from CO2
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
References
5
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
Chemistry of Light-Based Technologies: Photocatalysis
Introduction
A. General Purposes / Uses of Photocatalysis
Sunlight is an abundant, renewable, and inexpensive energy source.1 Light is defined as
electromagnetic radiation consisting of infrared light to X-rays and everything in
between.2 Electromagnetic radiation is the basis of solar energy applications. Benefits
include no production of air pollutants or CO2 and little impact on the environment when
placed on buildings.3 There are five major modes of solar energy applications: heat,
concentrating solar power (CSP), solar cells, biomass, and photocatalysis. The first
mode, heat, involves converting solar energy to thermal energy which can be used to heat
water and spaces in homes, pools, buildings, and greenhouses; also, it can be used to heat
fluid which produces steam that powers a generator.3 These solar powered hot water
heaters reduce greenhouse gas and smog emissions caused from the combustion of fossil
fuels.4 The second mode, CSP, collects energy from the sun using mirrors that reflect
sunlight into receivers, which convert the sunlight into heat, generating electricity.5 The
third mode, solar cells, uses the photovoltaic effect to convert sunlight to electricity.6
The fourth mode is biomass to fuel conversion, which uses renewable resources such as
plant materials by chemically converting them to fuel.7 The fifth mode of solar energy is
photocatalysis. Photocatalysis is a chemical reaction accelerated by light that acts either
directly or excites a substance to catalyze the main reaction.8
6
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
B. General Types of Photocatalysis
The field of photocatalysis is concerned with photochemical reactions which are made
possible and/or more efficient by the use of a photocatalyst.Error! Bookmark not defined. The
catalyst absorbs light and generates electrons and holes. Because of this charge
separation, the catalyst enables reductions and oxidations without being changed or
consumed.9 Photocatalysis has many common applications including sterilization,
deodorization, air purification, anti fogging and self-cleaning, and water purification. For
sterilization, it can kill bacteria cells and can decompose the cell itself.10 For
deodorizing, photocatalytically generated hydroxyl radicals can destroy Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs).10 The most significant air purification effects include the reduction
or elimination of polluted compounds in the air, and eventually the removal of
greenhouse gases.10 When used for anti-fogging and self-cleaning, it creates selfcleaning buildings that are “antistatic, super oxidative, and hydrophilic”.10 Photocatalysis
can also be used to purify water (i.e., kill certain bacteria).10 When coupled with UV
light, it can oxidize organic pollutants into materials that are not toxic such as CO2.10
Photocatalysis can be applied in five major ways. First, photocatalysis can be used in the
environment to reduce pollutants by coating buildings and roads with photocatalytic
TiO2.11 Photocatalysis is a major factor in the production of H2 from fuel conversion and
water splitting.12 In the future, hydrogen will replace or reduce the use of certain fossil
fuels and thereby decrease pollution.12 It will also be used to heat homes and offices,
generate electricity, and for transportation.12 An example of a photocatalyst used in fuel
to hydrogen conversion is A-TiO2.13 Fourth, in biomass to fuel conversion, biomass is
chemically converted to liquid fuels such as ethanol.7 Biomass is defined as plant
7
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
materials or the waste of animals.14 Fifth, photocatalysis is key to the reduction of CO2 to
formic acid and other reduced species.15 An example is artificial photosynthesis with a
graphene-based photocatalyst that is then coupled with a biocatalyst.Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
References
1
Solar Synthesis: Prospects in Visible Light Photocatalysis. D. M. Schultz, T. P. Yoon,
Science 2014, 343, 1239176.
2
“Light.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2015 <http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/light>
3
"Solar." EIA Energy Kids. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=solar_home>.
4
Otanicar, T.; Golden, J. Environmental Science & Technology 2009, 43, 6082–6087.
5
SEIA http://www.seia.org/policy/solar-technology/concentrating-solar-power (accessed
Jan 31, 2015).
6
Solar Photovoltaic Cells. Mickey, C. J. Chem. Educ. 1981, 58, 418-423.
8
Ashley Kloepper
Harrison Ingold
Julianna Kubiak
7
Wallington, T. J.; Anderson, J. E.; Mueller, S. A.; Morris, E. Kolinksi; Winkler, S. L.;
Ginder, J. M.; Nielsen O. J. Corn Ethanol Production, Food Exports, and Indirect Land
Use Change. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 46, 6379-6384.
8
“Photocatalysis.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2015 <http://www.merriam-
webster.com/medical/photocatalysis>
9
Green Earth Nano Science. N.p., 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
Inc.<http://www.greenearthnanoscience.com/what-is-photocatalyst.php>
10
Basic Functions of Photocatalyst. Web. 31 Jan 2015
<http://www.tipe.com.cn/library/kb2503.htm>
11
Ângelo, J.; Andrade, L; Luís, M. M.; Adélio M. J. Environm. Managem. 2013, 129,
522-539.
12
Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production by Direct Sunlight: A Laboratory Experiment.
Koca, A.; Sahin, M. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 1314-1315.
13
Xu, C.; Yang, W.; Guo, Q.; Dai, D.; Chen, M.; Yang, X. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136,
602–605.
14
“Biomass.” Merriam-Webster. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015
15
Yadv, Rajesh K.; Baeg, Jin-Ook; Oh, Gyu Hwan; Park, No-Joong; Kong, Ki-jeong;
Kim, Jinheung; Hwang, Dong Won; Biswas, Soumya K. A Photocatalyst-Enzyme
Coupled Artificial Photosynthesis System for Solar Energy in Production of Formic Acid
from CO2 J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 11455-11461.
9