Molecular catalysts for artificial photosynthesis: general discussion (original) (raw)

Leif Hammarström opened discussion of the paper by Licheng Sun: You indicated using separate panels for PV and solar heating on the same roof top which compete for space in the sun. Instead, have you considered using the heat that is generated from the PV and circulating the water to the electrolyzer? Then you also increase the efficiency of the PV. Licheng Sun responded: That is an even better idea, and solves the problem of competing roof area. Masayuki Yagi asked: I am interested in the temperature dependence of the water oxidation catalysis. The linear relationship between the current density and temperature shows that the enhanced water oxidation is not ascribed to an activation process. If it involves the usual activation process, there is a linear relationship between the logarithm of the current density and the inverse of the temperature. How could you explain the enhancement of the water oxidation catalysis? Licheng Sun replied: In addition to the thermodynamic reasons, kinetics processes are the major contributors to these temperature effects. Masayuki Yagi remarked: Diffusion of H + and proton acceptors (if needed) could be important for electrochemical water oxidation. Is the enhanced water oxidation catalysis temperature due to diffusion of H + and proton acceptors? Did