Leaf-architectured 3D Hierarchical Artificial Photosynthetic System of Perovskite Titanates Towards CO2 Photoreduction Into Hydrocarbon Fuels

Abstract

The development of an "artificial photosynthetic system" (APS) having both the analogous important structural elements and reaction features of photosynthesis to achieve solar-driven water splitting and CO₂ reduction is highly challenging. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy for a promising 3D APS architecture as an efficient mass flow/light harvesting network relying on the morphological replacement of a concept prototype-leaf's 3D architecture into perovskite titanates for CO₂ photoreduction into hydrocarbon fuels (CO and CH₄). The process uses artificial sunlight as the energy source, water as an electron donor and CO₂ as the carbon source, mimicking what real leaves do. To our knowledge this is the first example utilizing biological systems as "architecture-directing agents" for APS towards CO₂ photoreduction, which hints at a more general principle for APS architectures with a great variety of optimized biological geometries. This research would have great significance for the potential realization of global carbon neutral cycle.