Researchers discover new materials to generate solar fuel production

DURHAM — Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have identified new, readily available materials that convert sunlight and carbon dioxide (CO2) into building blocks for liquid fuels that could one day heat homes and power cars.

“Currently we can convert sunlight into electricity using solar panels on homes and other buildings,” said Gonghu Li, associate professor in chemistry and materials science. “However, electricity isn’t easy to store on a large scale, and energy production stops when the sun goes down. We wanted to look for something that had more staying power.”