Patent ID: 8029652
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: B01J,C01B,C25B,H01G,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A photocatalytic material, the photocatalytic material comprising: a) a plurality of nanocrystalline quantum dot absorbers, wherein each of the nanocrystalline quantum dot absorbers absorbs light emitted from a light source to generate at least one electron-hole pair and each nanocrystalline quantum dot absorbers comprises at least one semiconducting material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, metal sulfides, metal selenides, metal tellurides, metal phosphides, and metal arsenides; and b) a molecular catalyst chemically coupled to each of the plurality of nanocrystalline quantum dot absorbers by a linking moiety, wherein each of the plurality of nanocrystalline quantum dot absorbers absorbs light emitted from a light source to generate at least one electron-hole pair, the at least one electron-hole pair having a sufficient potential to activate the molecular catalyst, and wherein the molecular catalyst oxidizes or reduces an electrolytic species.