Scientists have made a significant advancement in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen dissociation, offering a promising pathway to more sustainable chemical manufacturing with lower energy use and reduced environmental impact.

The study, led by researchers from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Trieste in Italy, was published in the latest issue of the journal Science. It demonstrates a new method to dissociate hydrogen molecules under mild conditions -- specifically, at room temperature and with the use of light.

Hydrogenation reactions are crucial in the chemical industry, involved in approximately one-quarter of all chemical processes. A key step in these reactions is hydrogen activation, which can occur through two mechanisms: homolytic and hydrogen dissociation. The latter can lead to faster production of important chemicals and fewer unwanted by-products. However, until now, this type of dissociation typically required high temperature and pressure, consuming large amounts of energy and posing safety risks.

The research team developed a novel photocatalytic strategy that was able to overcome previous limitations. Instead of using photo-generated electrons and holes separately to drive half-reactions, they used them together to create spatially adjacent positive and negative charge centers, enabling hydrogen heterolysis at room temperature.

"Using hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce high-value chemicals such as ethane and ethylene can greatly reduce the energy consumption of traditional hydrogenation processes and cut carbon emissions," said Wang Feng, a professor at DICP.

"It also helps optimize the use of carbon resources," he added.

Wang said that the team will continue to develop the process toward industrial application, combining light and heat to potentially modernize and decarbonize coal-based chemical production. (Xinhua)