CO-to-CO Conversion with Over 10 % Efficiency Using Earth Abundant System in a Single-Compartment Reactor with Oxygen Tolerant Mn Complex Catalyst.

The direct conversion of CO in the presence of O to value-added chemicals is a potentially important cost-effective solar-driven CO reduction technology. The present work demonstrates the solar-powered conversion of CO to CO with greater than 10 % efficiency using a Mn complex cathode and an Fe-Ni anode in a single-compartment reactor without an ion exchange membrane in conjunction with a Si solar cell. Reactors separated by ion exchange membranes are typically used to prevent any effects of oxygen generated by the counter electrode.

Photocatalytic CO Reduction Using an Osmium Complex as a Panchromatic Self-Photosensitized Catalyst: Utilization of Blue, Green, and Red Light.

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) represents an attractive approach for solar-energy storage and leads to the production of renewable fuels and valuable chemicals. Although some osmium (Os) photosensitizers absorb long wavelengths in the visible-light region, a self-photosensitized, mononuclear Os catalyst for red-light-driven CO reduction has not yet been exploited. Here, we discovered that the introduction of an Os metal to a PNNP-type tetradentate ligand resulted in the absorption of light with longer-wavelength (350-700 nm) and that can be applied to a panchromatic self-photosensitized catalyst for CO reduction to give mainly carbon monoxide (CO) with a total turnover number (TON) of 625 under photoirradiation (λ≥400 nm).

Enhanced performance of molecular electrocatalysts for CO reduction in a flow cell following K addition.

Electrocatalytic CO reduction is a key aspect of artificial photosynthesis systems designed to produce fuels. Although some molecular catalysts have good performance for CO reduction, these compounds also suffer from poor durability and energy efficiency. The present work demonstrates the improved CO reduction activity exhibited by molecular catalysts in a flow cell.

Importance of steric bulkiness of iridium photocatalysts with PNNP tetradentate ligands for CO reduction.

A series of Ir complexes has been developed as multifunctional photocatalysts for CO reduction to give HCOH selectively. The catalytic activities and photophysical properties vary widely across the series, and the bulky group insertion resulted in the formation of HCOH and CO with the catalyst turnover number of >10 400.

Ni-modified β-FeOOH nanorod cocatalysts for oxygen evolution utilising photoexcited holes on a N 2p level in a N-doped TiO electrode.

Traditionally, N-doped TiO (N-TiO) has been regarded as unsuitable for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under visible light. Ni-modified β-FeOOH nanorod cocatalysts enabled to use N 2p holes in the N-TiO photoanode induced by 400-500 nm visible light photons for the OER, enhancing anodic photocurrent of N-TiO with 13-fold with 100% faradaic efficiency.

Hot-carrier photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis.

We applied hot-carrier extraction to particulate photocatalysts for artificial photosynthetic reactions including water splitting for H production and CO reduction to CO and HCOOH, and elucidated promising features of hot-carrier photocatalysts (HC-PCs). We designed a specific structure of the HC-PC; a semiconductor core in which thermalization of photo-generated carriers is significantly suppressed is surrounded by a shell whose bandgap is wider than that of the core. Among the photo-generated hot carriers in the core, only carriers whose energies are larger than the shell bandgap are extracted passing through the shell to the active sites on the shell surface.

Exploring the Physiological and Psychological Effects of Digital Shinrin-Yoku and Its Characteristics as a Restorative Environment.

This study investigated the physiological and psychological therapeutic effects of a digital Shinrin-yoku environment constructed indoors in an urban facility as well as the characteristics of the environment that contribute to restorativeness (restorative traits). We measured the fluctuations in the physical and mental states of 25 subjects by obtaining both before-after measurements and continuous measurements while exposed to a digital Shinrin-yoku environment that reproduced visual, auditory, and olfactory elements. The results demonstrated that the parasympathetic nerve activity was significantly increased and that the heart rate was significantly decreased during the exposure compared with that during the resting state.

Photocatalytic CO Reduction Using Water as an Electron Donor under Visible Light Irradiation by Z-Scheme and Photoelectrochemical Systems over (CuGa)ZnS in the Presence of Basic Additives.

We demonstrated photocatalytic CO reduction using water as an electron donor under visible light irradiation by a Z-scheme photocatalyst and a photoelectrochemical cell using bare (CuGa)ZnS prepared by a flux method as a CO-reducing photocatalyst. The Z-scheme system employing the bare (CuGa)ZnS photocatalyst and RGO-(CoO/BiVO) as an O-evolving photocatalyst produced CO of a CO reduction product accompanied by H and O in a simple suspension system without any additives under visible light irradiation and 1 atm of CO. When a basic salt (i.

Contribution of RNA-RNA Interactions Mediated by the Genome Packaging Signals for the Selective Genome Packaging of Influenza A Virus.

The influenza A virus genome is composed of eight single-stranded negative-sense viral RNA segments (vRNAs). The eight vRNAs are selectively packaged into each progeny virion. This process likely involves specific interactions between the vRNAs via segment-specific packaging signals located in both the 3'- and 5'-terminal regions of the respective vRNAs.

Solar-Driven CO Reduction Using a Semiconductor/Molecule Hybrid Photosystem: From Photocatalysts to a Monolithic Artificial Leaf.

The synthesis of organic chemicals from HO and CO using solar energy is important for recycling CO through cyclical use of chemical ingredients produced from CO or molecular energy carriers based on CO. Similar to photosynthesis in plants, the CO molecules are reduced by electrons and protons, which are extracted from HO molecules, to produce O. This reaction is uphill; therefore, the solar energy is stored as the chemical bonding energy in the organic molecules.

Particulate photocatalytic reactors with spectrum-splitting function for artificial photosynthesis.

We have applied spectrum splitting, which is the most reliable way for highly efficient solar energy utilization, to particulate photocatalytic reactors. We have elucidated that the spectrum splitting is feasible using plural cells/compartments, in which photocatalyst particles of different bandgaps are suspended respectively, arranged optically in series. When the particles are sufficiently small (≤20 nm in diameter), high-energy photons are absorbed in the wide-gap cell/compartment on the solar illumination side while low-energy photons reach the backside narrow-gap cell/compartment with being scarcely diffuse-reflected.

Subjective Effects of Inhaling Kuromoji Tea Aroma.

Teas and various herbal teas are well-known beverages and are commonly consumed around the world. In this study, we focused on kuromoji tea. Kuromoji is a deciduous shrub of the Lauraceae family, and the plucked leaves and branches have been drunk as a tea in production areas for a long time.

High-pressure synthesis of ε-FeOOH from β-FeOOH and its application to the water oxidation catalyst.

Research on materials under extreme conditions such as high pressures provides new insights into the evolution and dynamics of the earth and space sciences, but recently, this research has focused on applications as functional materials. In this contribution, we examined high-pressure/high-temperature phases of β-FeO (OH) Cl with = 0.12 (β-FeOOH) and their catalytic activities of water oxidation, , oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Study of Excited States and Electron Transfer of Semiconductor-Metal-Complex Hybrid Photocatalysts for CO Reduction by Using Picosecond Time-Resolved Spectroscopies.

A semiconductor-metal-complex hybrid photocatalyst was previously reported for CO reduction; this photocatalyst is composed of nitrogen-doped Ta O as a semiconductor photosensitizer and a Ru complex as a CO reduction catalyst, operating under visible light (>400 nm), with high selectivity for HCOOH formation of more than 75 %. The electron transfer from a photoactive semiconductor to the metal-complex catalyst is a key process for photocatalytic CO reduction with hybrid photocatalysts. Herein, the excited-state dynamics of several hybrid photocatalysts are described by using time-resolved emission and infrared absorption spectroscopies to understand the mechanism of electron transfer from a semiconductor to the metal-complex catalyst.

Charge Trapping Process in Photoexcited Nitrogen-Doped Titanium Oxides.

We present a first-principles study on the structural changes induced by charge trapping that occurs after photoexcitation in nitrogen-doped titanium oxide (N-TiO). The charge trapping site and the corresponding K edge EXAFS spectra of Ti atoms were predicted and compared with those obtained by an experiment under ultraviolet (UV) light excitation. The results indicate that charge trapping occurs in the neighborhood of the oxygen vacancy (O-vac) sites.

Photocatalytic CO Reduction Using a Robust Multifunctional Iridium Complex toward the Selective Formation of Formic Acid.

A highly efficient tetradentate PNNP-type Ir photocatalyst, Mes-IrPCY2, was developed for the reduction of carbon dioxide. The photocatalyst furnished formic acid (HCOH) with 87% selectivity together with carbon monoxide to achieve a turnover number of 2560, which is the highest among CO reduction photocatalysts without an additional photosensitizer. Mes-IrPCY2 exhibited outstanding photocatalytic CO reduction activity in the presence of the sacrificial electron source 1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzo[]imidazole (BIH) in CO-saturated ,-dimethylacetamide under irradiation with visible light.

Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy of hyperfine β-FeOOH nanorods modified with amorphous Ni(OH) under electrocatalytic water oxidation conditions.

Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy was employed to study an active electrocatalyst, hyperfine β-FeOOH nanorods (∅ 3 × 15 nm) surface-modified with amorphous Ni hydroxide. The nearest neighbor structure and valence of Fe ions did not change under water oxidation conditions, while changes in the nearest neighbor ordering of Ni ions and a reversible transition to Ni were observed in accordance with the electrical bias for the reaction.

Photoelectrochemical water-splitting over a surface modified p-type CrO photocathode.

Cr2O3 is a p-type semiconductor with a negative conduction band minimum position suitable for photocathodic H2 generation. Therefore, Cr2O3 is a candidate photocathode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting. However, Cr2O3 has not yet been applied for the purpose of H2 generation because the efficiency and stability of the photocurrent generated by a Cr2O3 electrode are poor, due to high defect and vacancy concentrations.

First principles calculations of surface dependent electronic structures: a study on β-FeOOH and γ-FeOOH.

We report a theoretical study on iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH). The FeOOH surface is expected to act as an efficient electrochemical catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), because it is based on iron, an element of the fourth highest Clarke number. Experimentally, the OER activity of β-FeOOH is known to be higher than that of γ-FeOOH.

Relation between Psychological Restorativeness and Lifestyle, Quality of Life, Resilience, and Stress-Coping in Forest Settings.

Previous research has mainly dealt with the physiological and psychological restorative effects of the forest environment. However, comparatively few studies have focused on how the traits and attributes of individuals (individual traits) affect the restorative effects of the forest environment. In this study, we examined the relationships between the psychological restorative effects offered by perceived restorativeness of outdoor settings and the individual traits.

Molecular Catalysts Immobilized on Semiconductor Photosensitizers for Proton Reduction toward Visible-Light-Driven Overall Water Splitting.

Photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical hydrogen production by water splitting is one of the key reactions for the development of an energy supply that enables a clean energy system for a future sustainable society. Utilization of solar photon energy for the uphill water splitting reaction is a promising technology, and therefore many systems using semiconductor photocatalysts and semiconductor photoelectrodes for the reaction producing hydrogen and dioxygen in a 2:1 stoichiometric ratio have been reported. In these systems, molecular catalysts are also considered to be feasible; recently, systems based on molecular catalysts conjugated with semiconductor photosensitizers have been used for photoinduced hydrogen generation by proton reduction.

Self-Assembled Single-Crystalline GaN Having a Bimodal Meso/Macropore Structure To Enhance Photoabsorption and Photocatalytic Reactions.

This paper describes the self-assembled fabrication of single-crystal GaN with a bimodal pore (meso/macropore) size distribution (BiPS-GaN). A 4.7 μm-thick BiPS-GaN layer was grown spontaneously using halogen-free vapor phase epitaxy in conjunction with boron impurity doping (>1 × 10 atoms/cm) on a GaN template fabricated via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD-GaN).

Solar-driven CO to CO reduction utilizing HO as an electron donor by earth-abundant Mn-bipyridine complex and Ni-modified Fe-oxyhydroxide catalysts activated in a single-compartment reactor.

Photoelectrochemical CO2 to CO reduction was demonstrated with 3.4% solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency using polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells connected with earth-abundant catalysts: a manganese complex polymer for CO2 reduction and iron oxyhydroxide modified with a nickel compound for water oxidation. The system operated around neutral pH in a single-compartment reactor.