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Science 12 September 1975:
Vol. 189. no. 4206, pp. 852 - 856
DOI: 10.1126/science.189.4206.852
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Articles

Solar Energy Conversion by Water Photodissociation

Transition metal complexes can provide low-energy cyclic systems for catalytic photodissociation of water

V. Balzani 1, L. Moggi 1, M. F. Manfrin 1, F. Bolletta 1, and M. Gleria 2

1 "G. Ciamician" Chemical Institute, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2 Laboratorio di Fotochimica e Radiazioni d'Alta Energia (Bologna) of the National Research Council of Italy

The basic concepts for direct and catalyzed photodissociation of water have been summarized. Water dissociation in closed-cycle processes based on endothermic photochemical reactions offers a potential solution to the solar energy conversion problem. Transition metal complexes, whose excited state chemistry is extremely rich (23, 24) although mostly unexplored, are, in principle, suitable "catalysts" for cycles of this type. The most interesting cycles are those involving metal hydrido complexes or binuclear complexes in which the two metal atoms are bound into a macrocyclic ligand. Systematic investigations of the photochemistry of transition metal complexes with the aim of designing suitable systems for solar energy conversion have long-range promise and merit further consideration.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Solar Chemistry of Metal Complexes.
H. B. Gray and A. W. Maverick (1981)
Science 214, 1201-1205
   Abstract »    PDF »
Solar Fuels.
J. R. Bolton (1978)
Science 202, 705-711
   PDF »


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