Review
Thermodynamics
L. Jiang, W. Liu, R. Q. Wang, A. Gonzalez-Diaz, M. F. Rojas-Michaga, S. Michailos, M. Pourkashanian, X. J. Zhang, C. Font-Palma
Summary: Direct air capture (DAC) is gaining momentum as a promising carbon capture technology due to its vast potential and flexibility in collecting CO2 from discrete sources. This paper comprehensively discusses the state-of-the-art of DAC and CO2 utilization, highlights unresolved technical challenges, and provides perspectives for commercial large-scale applications.
PROGRESS IN ENERGY AND COMBUSTION SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jeongwon Kim, Arim Seong, Yejin Yang, Sangwook Joo, Changmin Kim, Dong Hyup Jeon, Liming Dai, Guntae Kim
Summary: The newly-developed membrane-free Mg-CO2 battery operates based on the indirect utilization of CO2, achieving efficient carbon sequestration with the generation of electricity and valuable chemicals, while maintaining excellent cycling performance.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lucas Desport, Sandrine Selosse
Summary: The recycling and utilization of CO2 is important in combating global warming and has potential in producing clean fuels and chemicals. However, current energy models have limitations in representing Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). This paper reviews existing models and provides recommendations for future modeling.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Liang Fei, Yunjie Yin, Mengfan Yang, Shoufeng Zhang, Chaoxia Wang
Summary: Efficient solar energy harvesting is achieved through a visible solar storage fabric that utilizes UV-Vis-NIR wavelengths and enables real-time monitoring of energy state through color change. This fabric, which can be worn on the body, combines photochemistry thermophysics coupled energy storage and vis-NIR light harvesting to achieve high energy efficiency.
ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Liang Teng, Yimin Xuan, Xianglei Liu, Dong Liu, Yulong Ding
Summary: Carbon neutrality requires credible action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop clean and renewable energy. The solar driven multifunctional calcium looping (CaL) is one of the most promising pathways to establish a zero-carbon energy system, but its progress is still in the proof-of-principle stage and research into its magnified operations and fundamental scientific problems is rare.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Taner Guney
Summary: This study examines the impact of solar energy and governance on CO2 emissions and finds that solar energy and good governance can reduce CO2 levels. It suggests that countries should integrate solar energy and governance to mitigate CO2 emissions.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Jixiang Gui, Chengcheng Li, Yang Cao, Zhongxin Liu, Yijun Shen, Wei Huang, Xinlong Tian
Summary: The water-energy nexus is facing unprecedented challenges due to population growth, climate change, and environmental pollution. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) is a promising strategy for freshwater harvesting with abundant solar and water energy. By utilizing the energy in the SDIE system, high-efficiency water and electricity co-generation (WEG) hybrid systems can optimize the existing water-energy nexus and promote sustainable development. This review analyzes the energy flow in the SDIE system and summarizes energy-harvesting strategies based on various technologies. It also emphasizes recent advances in WEG hybrid systems, discussing their electric generation mechanism, system structure, efficiency, and future development.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hao Yi, Yunliang Zhao, Shaoxian Song
Summary: The study successfully exfoliated natural layered montmorillonite into two-dimensional nanosheets using a physical ultrasonic method in aqueous solutions, resulting in nanofluids with excellent dispersion stability and solar energy collection performance. The nanofluids exhibited sustainable suspension and recycling performance, making them promising for applications in green buildings and contributing to the development of a sustainable society.
APPLIED CLAY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sayan Kar, Motiar Rahaman, Virgil Andrei, Subhajit Bhattacharjee, Souvik Roy, Erwin Reisner
Summary: Integration of carbon capture with utilization technologies can lead the way to a future net-zero carbon economy. This study demonstrates the direct conversion of chemically captured CO2 into syngas using solar irradiation without any externally applied voltage. The overall process utilizes flue gas or air as a carbon source, discarded plastic waste as an electron donor, and sunlight as the sole energy input, opening up new possibilities for carbon-neutral or negative solar fuel and waste upcycling technologies.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Datong Gao, Trevor Hocksun Kwan, Yousef Naji Dabwan, Maobin Hu, Yong Hao, Tao Zhang, Gang Pei
Summary: This paper proposes two solar seasonal-regulatable energy systems, which integrate solar thermal and photovoltaic, and combine solar thermal with the organic Rankine cycle. These systems can improve solar utilization efficiency, extend the effective utilization period, and significantly reduce investment costs.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hakan Acaroglu, Fausto Pedro Garcia Marquez
Summary: This paper conducts a life-cycle cost analysis in Turkey for solar energy transmission through High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC). The study proposes the construction of a 1000 km long HVDC overhead transmission line to transport energy from high solar regions to energy-deficient regions in the country. By comparing cumulative cash flows and net present value, the research concludes that the HVDC-Overhead Transmission Line outperformed other options, with a positive net present value and a break-even point after 9 years. This investment in renewable energy meets Turkey's needs and can serve as a model for developing countries.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Jun Wu, Yasong Sun, Biyuan Wu, Chunlei Sun, Xiaohu Wu
Summary: This article designs and studies a polarization insensitive, broadband and wide-angle perfect metamaterial absorber for solar energy harvesting, which has high absorption rate and large fabrication tolerance. The absorption spectra are consistent with solar spectrum and robust against incident angle changes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THERMAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tianpeng Ding, Yi Zhou, Wei Li Ong, Ghim Wei Ho
Summary: Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology has attracted research attention, and optimizing photothermal conversion and thermal management improves performance. Hybrid systems designed with heat localization strategy can enhance solar energy utilization and have potential applications in various fields.
Article
Thermodynamics
Datong Gao, Trevor Hocksun Kwan, Maobin Hu, Gang Pei
Summary: This paper proposes an energy management strategy that efficiently utilizes solar energy year-round by providing heat during the heating season and generating electricity from residual solar energy during the non-heating season, resolving the issue of solar energy supply-demand mismatch.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hsing-Jung Ho, Atsushi Iizuka, Etsuro Shibata
Summary: This study investigated the utilization of fly ash through direct aqueous carbonation to absorb CO2 and form carbonate. Despite using a low-energy input method, the CO2 uptake efficiency was comparable to previous studies, and the product was found to be safe for further utilization.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Davide Michele Stefano Marcolongo, Francesco Nocito, Nicoletta Ditaranto, Roberto Comparelli, Michele Aresta, Angela Dibenedetto
Summary: This study reports the synthesis and characterization of mixed metal oxides as p,n-junction photocatalysts, and demonstrates the correlation between the preparation technique and the properties of the materials. The optical and electronic properties of the materials were evaluated using spectroscopic and characterization techniques.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Domenico Linsalata, Michele Aresta, Marco Bortoluzzi, Nicoletta Ditaranto, Francesco Nocito, Angela Dibenedetto
Summary: The reaction between ethene glycol (EG) and CO2 to form cyclic ethene carbonate (EC) was studied under solvent-less conditions. Optimal reaction conditions were determined and the use of pervaporation membranes was found to increase the EC concentration. A DFT study showed that etherification and carbonation were competing reactions.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chang Cheng, Bicheng Zhu, Bei Cheng, Wojciech Macyk, Linxi Wang, Jiaguo Yu
Summary: This study constructed a series of pyrene-alt-dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide (P16PySO)/tungsten trioxide (WO3) composites to investigate the mechanism of photocatalytic styrene oxidation under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The S-scheme charge transfer pathway within P16PySO/WO3 was systematically analyzed. The results revealed that triplet oxygen (O-3(2)) could efficiently trap the energy of triplet excited P16PySO through an energy transfer process and convert to singlet oxygen (O-1(2)), which played an important role in styrene oxidation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna Jakiminska, Kaja Spilarewicz, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: This work aims to revise the photocatalytic activity mechanism of the TiO2/Ag2O system in photocatalytic water splitting with methanol photoreforming. The transformation of Ag2O into AgNPs during photocatalytic water splitting/methanol photoreforming was studied using various techniques. The influence of AgNPs on the optoelectronic properties of TiO2 was analyzed, and the lack of efficient p-n junction between TiO2 and Ag2O was observed. Furthermore, the impact of chemical and structural changes on the production of CO and CO2 from methanol photoreforming was investigated.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Tomasz Baran, Szymon Wojtyla
Summary: Strontium titanate, a ternary n-type semiconductor, has shown promise in photocatalytic applications such as degradation of organic pollutants or oxygen evolution reaction due to its high durability. However, its photoactivity is not high, leading to efforts in improving its efficiency, such as combining it with graphene oxide. In this study, SrTiO3/graphene oxide photomaterials were synthesized and characterized, providing important insights into charge separation efficiency, carrier transport, and photostability relevant to photocatalytic degradation of toluene.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS AND MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Francesco Nocito, Marco Bortoluzzi, Michele Aresta, Angela Dibenedetto
Summary: This article presents interesting reactions between urea and biosourced diols, driven by cheap catalysts, which result in the elimination of ammonia and water. Various compounds, including cyclic carbonates, linear mono- and diurethanes, cyclic urethanes, and oligomeric urethanes, can be synthesized under mild conditions. ZnO and CeO2, as catalysts, exhibit different behavior in promoting ammonia or water elimination, with CeO2 being recoverable and reusable. CeO2 also facilitates the formation of oligo-urethanes through sequential diol-urea coupling.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kamil Urbanek, Kaja Spilarewicz, Jiaguo Yu, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: This work designed an advanced photocatalytic system composed of titanium dioxide (P25) and mSFO (Sn-doped magnetite with Fe-doped cassiterite) for gas phase CO2 reduction. A synthesis route of mSFO composite was proposed, and the obtained material was characterized by various techniques. The mSFO/P25 system showed photocatalytic reduction ability of CO2 to CO, which was confirmed by the use of labeled carbon dioxide. The surface photovoltage and electrochemical measurements supported the S-scheme mechanism.
MATERIALS TODAY SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kasidid Yaemsunthorn, Wiktoria Adamowicz, Marcin Kobielusz, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: The photocatalytic selective reduction of 3-nitrophenol to 3-aminophenol was studied using titanium dioxide in different compositions. Both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters were found to affect the reaction progress, with intrinsic factors related to the chemical, structural, and electronic properties and extrinsic factors related to the reaction conditions. The analysis revealed that the performance of anatase and rutile materials varied due to differences in interfacial electron transfer, charge recombination, reduction driving force, and methanol photooxidation efficiency. The understanding of these factors could lead to the rational design of efficient and selective photocatalysts.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Angela Dibenedetto, Alceo Macchioni
Summary: The CIRCC is an international consortium consisting of 17 universities and 75 research units in Italy. It focuses on developing new chemical reactions, catalytic systems, and their potential industrial applications. This article introduces the consortium to EurJIC readers and summarizes the scientific articles featured in the Institute Feature dedicated to CIRCC.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Tetiana Tatarchuk, Liubov Soltys, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: The global development of industry and agriculture has led to the contamination of aquatic environments with pharmaceuticals. The uncontrolled release of pharmaceuticals into water poses a threat to human health and the environment. Adsorption with magnetic nanoparticles is an effective method for removing pharmaceuticals from wastewater. This comprehensive review focuses on the use of magnetic nanoparticles for the removal of antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from aqueous environments. The study discusses the interaction between the adsorbent and the adsorbate and summarizes the factors that affect adsorption efficiency.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Peiyu Hu, Guijie Liang, Bicheng Zhu, Wojciech Macyk, Jiaguo Yu, Feiyan Xu
Summary: Exploring photocatalysts for CO2 conversion is a promising approach for mitigating energy scarcity and environmental pollution. In this study, SnO2/Cs3Bi2Br9 heterojunctions were constructed to enhance CO2 photoreduction. The unique structure enabled efficient separation of photoexcited electron/hole pairs and demonstrated excellent selectivity for CH4 production.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ying He, Zhengpeng Yang, Jiaguo Yu, Difa Xu, Chengyuan Liu, Yang Pan, Wojciech Macyk, Feiyan Xu
Summary: In this study, WO3/In2O3 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts were developed for CO2 photoreduction. The unique S-scheme mechanism and efficient activation of CO2 molecules on the In2O3 surface resulted in enhanced CO2 photoreduction performance with 53.7% selectivity for CH4. Photocatalytic and CO2-reduction mechanisms, as well as the enhanced CH4-selectivity, were elucidated through various spectroscopy techniques and simulations.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anna Jakiminska, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: This work presents the preparation of titanium dioxide polymorphs modified with metallic (Au and Ag) nanostructures of different sizes. The photocatalytic activity, photoelectrochemical properties, and electronic properties of these materials were examined. Moreover, it was established that the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon does not significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity of the materials, and the deposition of metallic nanostructures significantly alters the redox properties of the materials.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kamil Urbanek, Anna Jakiminska, Kaja Spilarewicz, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: This work investigates the application of highly defective cobalt and copper tungstates for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. The synthesized materials were characterized and their behavior in photocatalytic reactions was studied. CuT/TiO2 mixture is found to be more effective than CoT/TiO2 due to lower recombination rates of charge carriers and the presence of more active centers.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna Jakiminska, Kaja Spilarewicz, Wojciech Macyk
Summary: This study investigates the influence of plasmonic (gold) and non-plasmonic (palladium) nanostructures on the photocatalytic activity and redox properties of titanium dioxide. The results show that palladium primarily determines the activity of modified materials, while the surface plasmon resonance of gold has no effect on the activity. Moreover, the nanostructures induce changes in the redox properties of the semiconductor, regardless of their plasmonic or non-plasmonic nature.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2023)