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 H2 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.