Photosensitized Water Oxidation by Use of a Bioinspired Manganese Catalyst

摘要

The search for renewable and clean energy sources is one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. The utilization of sunlight is an environmentally friendly alternative, and together with nuclear fusion, it is the only sustainable and carbon-free energy source with sufficient potential to replace fossil fuels and satisfy future energy demands. A promising approach is to mimic nature and develop a system for artificial photosynthesis that converts water into oxygen and hydrogen gas. The key determinant for a breakthrough is the development of an efficient catalyst for water oxidation. Although a series of catalysts based on ruthenium have been developed, catalysts based on earth-abundant metals are rare. However, a few catalysts based on cobalt and iron have been reported.