# US 2017/0282147 A1 · Nanostructured apparatus and methods for producing carbon-containing molecules as a renewable energy resource

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- Number: US 2017/0282147 A1
- Document ID: US20170282147A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/619,684
- Filed: 2017-06-12
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-10-25
- Assignees: University of Massachusetts
- Applicants: University of Massachusetts
- Inventors: Mengyan Shen; Cong Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282147A1

## CPC

- B01J 19/127: {Sunlight; Visible light}
- B01J 23/75: Cobalt
- B01J 35/45: Nanoparticles
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- C01B 3/042: Decomposition of water (by electrolysis of water C25B1/04)
- C01B 13/0207: {Water}
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Nanostructured arrays having a metal catalyst (e.g., cobalt) are irradiated with light to initiate the an artificial photosynthetic reaction resulting in the formation of carbon-containing molecules, for example, long chained hydrocarbons or amino acids. A nanostructure having one or more structural elements having a high aspect ratio can formed over a substrate and are placed in contact with water and a carbon-containing source (e.g., carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, methane). When the nanostructure is exposed to light, the water and the carbon-containing source can react to form a molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together. Structural elements may include a number of metal layers arranged in a patterned configuration so that, upon light irradiation, a greater amount of light energy is concentrated in close proximity to the region where the reaction is catalyzed than for the case without the patterned configuration.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A method of forming a carbon-containing molecule, the method comprising:
contacting a nanostructure with a hydrogen-containing source and a carbon-containing source molecule; and
exposing the nanostructure to light to initiate a reaction between the hydrogen-containing source and the carbon-containing source molecule to form a product molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together, wherein the carbon-containing source molecule has fewer carbon atoms than the product molecule.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the hydrogen-containing source and the carbon-containing source molecule are disposed within a chamber, the hydrogen-containing source having a depth of less than about 2 mm within the chamber and the carbon-containing source molecule being a gas having a pressure of between about 1 atm and about 5 atm within the chamber.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the nanostructure to light includes irradiating the nanostructure with solar light.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the nanostructure to light to form a product molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together comprises producing a molecule having an energy that is at least 10% that of an initial energy of the light exposure.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the nanostructure to light to form a product molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together comprises forming a hydrocarbon, an amino acid, a polymer, a nitrogen-containing substance, an alcohol or a combination thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the nanostructure to light to initiate a reaction between the hydrogen-containing source and the carbon-containing source molecule includes catalyzing the reaction between the hydrogen-containing source and the carbon-containing source molecule involving at least one metal comprising Co, Cu, Fe, Ti, Ag, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the carbon-containing source molecule comprises at least one of carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, methane, carbon monoxide, a hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof.