Low-cost photoreactors for highly photon/energy-efficient solar-driven synthesis

Solar-driven photocatalytic processes are an emerging field that inspires hopes and dreams of a sustainable future on planet Earth. Using carbon dioxide and water as feedstocks, photocatalytic processes could deliver the energy and carbon feedstock for the future world economy. However, until today, low achieved photocatalytic efficiencies and high costs of photoreaction technology are hurdles for photocatalytic processes at scale. Within this contribution, a low-cost, milli-to-micro structured, and panel-like photoreactor concept, which is suitable for small-scale decentral and large-scale solar farm applications, is introduced. The key feature is a high achieved photocatalytic efficiency at a low design complexity and system cost. The optical modeling and analysis reveal achievable limits and prevalent loss mechanisms cumulating in a concise design guideline for the proposed photoreactors. The guideline comprehensibly establishes a connection between design parameters and performance metrics at a universal level, thereby providing a basis for adaptation and further development in the field of solar-driven photosynthesis.