New materials will enable novel technologies to turn sunlight into electricity and fuels. Combinations of molecules and tiny nanoparticles make these materials a reality. The molecules in these materials are very good at absorbing sunlight and donating electrons to the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles then move the electrons around and catalyze reactions that produce the fuel. However, this process doesn’t always work as researchers hope. Now scientists have found a way to track electrons along their round trip from the molecules to the nanoparticles and back. Researchers can measure where the electrons can travel easily and if, where, when, and why they get stuck. This information is crucial to finding better combinations for innovative materials.
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Source: Phys.org