Synthesis of solar fuels by a novel photoelectrocatalytic approach

The characteristics of nanostructured (a) TiO2 thin films (based on an ordered array of titania nanotubes) and their performances as photoanode in H-2 production by water splitting or photoreforming of ethanol (in liquid or gas phase) and (b) carbon-nanotube based electrodes for the gas-phase reduction of CO2 to liquid fuels (mainly isopropanol) are discussed together with their application for the design of a novel photoelectrocatalytic approach for the synthesis of solar fuels.