Inexpensive thin films and nanocrystalline diamond powder have the ability to initiate photochemical reduction of N2 to NH3 and CO2 to CO. This remarkable ability arises from the fact that diamond's conduction band lies higher in energy than many important reduction reactions (negative electron affinity), including the one-electron reduction of CO2 to CO, reduction of H+ to H● (hydrogen atom), and formation of the aqueous solvated electron e-(aq) . Because of its high-lying conduction band, excitation of diamond with ultraviolet light results in barrier-free emission of electrons directly into water and other liquids. This approach to reduction is quite distinct from more common approaches to photochemical reduction, since diamond's negative electron affinity results in direct emission of eletrons into water at an energy of ~ -6 V vs. SHE and does not require adsorption of reactants to the surface. The use of diamond as a way to access these and other high-energy reduction reactions will be discussed.

Accessing energetic reactions via diamond electrochemistry and photoelectrochemistry

250th National Meeting (2015)

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