The long term goal of our research is the direct conversion of carbon dioxide and water with visible light to a liquid fuel in a nanoscale assembly. Focusing on robust inorganic molecular light absorbers and metal oxide nanocatalysts, geometries are explored that afford the coupling of the components across a proton transmitting nanoscale silica layer under separation of the water oxidation catalysis from all other photosynthetic processes. Using recently developed heterobinuclear charge-transfer units as visible light chromophores, Co3O4 as multi-electron catalyst for water oxidation, and core-shell nanotube geometry for separating the O2 evolution from light absorber and reduction chemistry, we are developing an assembly for closing the photosynthetic cycle on the nanoscale. Molecular wires of type oligo(paraphenylene vinylene) embedded into the silica shell afford controlled hole transport from the visible light sensitizer on the outside to the Co3O4 catalyst on the inside of the nanotube assembly.

Cobalt oxide core – silica shell units for artificial photosynthesis

245th National Meeting (2013)

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