Interplay Effects in Dye-Sensitized Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Solar fuels production by so-called artificial photosynthetic processes is currently one of the most compelling research topics in the field of renewable energies. Visible light-driven hydrogen generation, in particular, is considered very promising since H2is an energy dense and carbon neutral fuel, which can be either burned or employed in fuel cells, producing only water as a by-product. In recent years, our research group investigated several heterogeneous systems for the organic dye-sensitized photocatalytic production of hydrogen. In this communication, we will discuss how modifying the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of the sensitizer can affect catalytic performances, and highlight how the interplay of all the components involved (photosensitizer, type of semiconductor, sacrificial electron donor) is crucial to maximize the light-to-fuel efficiency of the reaction.