ARCADIA · Advanced devices for the Reduction of CArbon DIoxide and Artificial photosynthesis

Advanced devices for the Reduction of CArbon DIoxide and Artificial photosynthesis

Natural photosynthesis is the process through which green plants, algae and cyanobacteria produce their energetic reservoirs by storing solar energy. The ARCADIA project focuses on mimicking this process by developing new photochemical cells able to exploit renewable resources and feedstock (namely sunlight, water and the greenhouse gas CO2), while producing value-added products and clean fuels, alternative to fossil fuels. Thus, the ARCADIA project addresses two of the major environmental/energy issues of our society, i.e. (i) the increased worldwide competition for the depleting fossil fuel reserves; and (ii) the ever-increasing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, predicted to cause uncontrollable impact on the world climate. The overall objectives of the ARCADIA project are: (i) the preparation of new devices via the independent development of photoelectrodes, able to efficiently absorb solar energy and convert it in charge separated states, ultimately driving the semireactions of water oxidation (anodic side) and CO2 reduction (cathodic side); (ii) the full characterization of these electrodes with advanced electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques, achieving mechanistic insights pivotal for the identification of the involved kinetic processes and, thus, for the further optimization of the electrodic interfaces.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union