Heterogeneous reduction of carbon dioxide by hydride-terminated silicon nanocrystals

Wei Sun, Chenxi Qian, Le He (), Kulbir Kaur Ghuman, Annabelle P. Y. Wong, Jia Jia, Feysal M. Ali, Paul G. O’Brien, Laura M. Reyes, Thomas E. Wood, Amr S. Helmy, Charles A. Mims, Chandra Veer Singh and Geoffrey A. Ozin ()
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Wei Sun: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Chenxi Qian: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Le He: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Kulbir Kaur Ghuman: University of Toronto
Annabelle P. Y. Wong: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Jia Jia: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Feysal M. Ali: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Paul G. O’Brien: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Laura M. Reyes: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Thomas E. Wood: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Amr S. Helmy: University of Toronto
Charles A. Mims: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto
Chandra Veer Singh: University of Toronto
Geoffrey A. Ozin: Solar Fuels Research Cluster, University of Toronto

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Silicon constitutes 28% of the earth’s mass. Its high abundance, lack of toxicity and low cost coupled with its electrical and optical properties, make silicon unique among the semiconductors for converting sunlight into electricity. In the quest for semiconductors that can make chemicals and fuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide, unfortunately the best performers are invariably made from rare and expensive elements. Here we report the observation that hydride-terminated silicon nanocrystals with average diameter 3.5 nm, denoted ncSi:H, can function as a single component heterogeneous reducing agent for converting gaseous carbon dioxide selectively to carbon monoxide, at a rate of hundreds of μmol h−1 g−1. The large surface area, broadband visible to near infrared light harvesting and reducing power of SiH surface sites of ncSi:H, together play key roles in this conversion. Making use of the reducing power of nanostructured hydrides towards gaseous carbon dioxide is a conceptually distinct and commercially interesting strategy for making fuels directly from sunlight.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12553

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12553

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