ABSTRACT
Anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide and atmospheric carbon dioxide have reached record levels. One path towards CO2 reduction is to utilize renewable energy to produce electricity. Another, less explored, path is to utilize renewable energy to directly produce societal staples such as metals, bleach, fuels, including carbonaceous fuels. Whereas solar-driven water splitting to generate hydrogen fuels has been extensively studied (Vayssieres 2009; Rajeshwar et al., 2008), there have been few studies of solar driven carbon dioxide splitting. “CO2 is a highly stable, noncombustible molecule, and its thermodynamic stability makes its activation energy demanding and challenging (Ohla et al., 2009).’’ In search of a solution for climate change associated with increasing levels of atmospheric CO2, the field of carbon dioxide splitting (solar or otherwise), while young, is growing rapidly, and as with water splitting, includes the study of photoelectrochemical, biomimetic, electrolytic, and thermal pathways of carbon dioxide splitting (Graves et al., 2011; Barber 2009). Recently we introduced a global process for the Solar Thermal Electrochemical Production (STEP) of energetic molecules, including CO2 splitting (Licht 2009; Licht et al., 2010; Licht 2011) as well as the solar production of metals, fuels, bleach and other staples (Licht 2009, Licht et al., 2010a; Licht et al., 2010b; Licht and Wang 2010; Licht 2011; Licht et al., 2011b; Licht, and Wu. 2011; Licht et al., 2011a).
