Solar To Value

To combat global warming, achieving net-zero or net-negative CO2 emissions is imperative.

The EU, aligning with the Paris Agreement, aims to reduce emissions by 40% and increase renewables share to 32% by 2030.

Another challenge that the globe faces is the massive accumulation of PET plastic waste, prompting the EU to seek innovative recycling solutions.

Solar-powered photoelectrochemical systems offer a clean, cost-effective alternative by converting CO2 into fuels while simultaneously recycling PET waste into high-value products.

Moreover, by integrating PET oxidation, it aims to overcome the substantial overpotential loss associated with conventional oxygen evolution reactions at photoanode, making the process more efficient.

Therefore, Solar-to-Value (SolVa) missions to develop a co-planar photocathode-photoanode architecture based on halide perovskites, creating an interdisciplinary solution for an efficient PEC CO2R-PET oxidation system.

To facilitate these processes, advanced and selective electrocatalysts: Fe and Cu single atoms on N-doped carbon catalysts for CO2 reduction and NiFe-based catalysts for PET oxidation, will be integrated into the photocathode and photoanode, respectively.

To ensure the stability of the perovskite-based photoelectrodes, protective layers of ITO will be deposited, preventing direct contact of thin-films with the electrolyte.

The successful realization of this project holds the promise of developing standalone monolithic PEC cells for CO2R-PET oxidation.

This can also extend the anodic recycling process to PV modules/spent Li-ion batteries and integrate it with cathodic CO2R through proper modifications of electrocatalysts and electrolytes.

SolVa addresses two pressing global issues in a single innovative system, ultimately promoting a sustainable and circular economy.