CO2-ak bultzatutako gizarte baterantz: landareetatik ikasten

Abstract

The current energy demand has led to a significant decrease in fossil fuels and to an increase in CO₂ emissions, so the idea of a society propelled by alternative energy forms has gained strength. The role of CO₂ in climate change is well known, so the recycling of this contaminant can regulate both the energetic requirement and the climate change. There are different processes that convert CO₂, but they all need very high temperatures and voltages, except for the photocatalytic reduction. This process simulates photosynthesis, but the improvement of photocatalysts is necessary in order to get the full benefit of the process. MOFs are a type of nanoporous materials that are constituted by metals coordinated to organic ligands, forming materials with voids or extended channels in which small molecules can be trapped by adsorption. With the correct design of the MOF, choosing the right metals and ligands, these materials could be able to catalyze the photoreduction of CO₂.