Photoelectrochemistry & Carbon Capture

Overview

Capturing CO₂ — from flue gas or directly from air — is energy-intensive, and much of that energy goes into releasing the captured CO₂ to regenerate the sorbent. We ask whether sunlight can supply that energy directly. Our group develops photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells in which an illuminated semiconductor electrode drives the CO₂ capture-and-release cycle, using light rather than heat or grid power for the costly step — a route to solar-powered carbon capture built on emerging thin-film absorbers.

Research Directions

Photoelectrodes for light-driven CO₂ capture. We design semiconductor photoelectrodes — including halide-perovskite and silicon-based absorbers — that turn absorbed sunlight into the electrochemical driving force needed to bind CO₂ and release it on demand, so the capture cycle runs on photogenerated charge.

Interfaces and operating stability. Emerging absorbers, halide perovskites especially, are sensitive to the aqueous, reactive environment of a capture cell. We study the semiconductor–electrolyte interface and develop protective layers and surface treatments that keep the photoelectrode working across many capture-and-release cycles.

Energetics of solar-powered capture. We measure how efficiently absorbed photons translate into captured CO₂, identifying the loss pathways that set the energy cost of capture and guiding photoelectrode design.

Broader Context

Carbon capture is widely seen as necessary to meet climate targets, but its energy demand is a central obstacle. Powering the capture step with sunlight — rather than fossil-derived heat or grid electricity — could cut that penalty and pair naturally with an intermittent renewable supply. Our work sits between semiconductor device physics and separation science, aiming to turn emerging photovoltaic materials into practical engines for solar-driven carbon capture.