Researchers at National Taiwan University (NTU) have developed a new perovskite photocatalyst that integrates molecular chirality and electron spin effects to drive artificial photosynthesis. The material efficiently converts carbon dioxide into useful fuels using sunlight, offering a promising route for clean energy technologies.
The team successfully engineered left- and right-handed chiral structures within perovskite crystals, discovering that chirality induces spin polarization and enhances charge separation. This leads to higher reaction selectivity and efficiency, opening a new direction in the design of chiral optoelectronic and green catalytic materials. The breakthrough highlights the critical role of spin-controlled chemistry in solar-energy conversion.
Led by NTU Distinguished Professor Chun-Wei Chen from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the NTU-MST program, the collaboration included National Taiwan Normal University, the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, National Pingtung University, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. The findings were published on the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS):
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jacs.5c11357
https://sec.ntu.edu.tw/epaper/article.asp?num=1668&sn=39618
To see article on QS Gen: https://qs-gen.com/ntu-boost-renewable-energy-catalysis/