Finally filling a gap in the literature for a text that also adopts the chemist's view of this hot topic, Professor Likhtenshtein, an experienced author and internationally renowned scientist, considers different physical and engineering aspects in solar energy conversion. From theory to real-life systems, he shows exactly which chemical reactions take place when converting light energy, providing an overview of the chemical perspective from fundamentals to molecular harvesting systems and solar cells. This essential guide will thus help researchers in academia and industry better understand solar energy conversion, and so ultimately help this promising, multibillion dollar fi eld to expand. From the contents: * Electron Transfer Theories * Principle Stages of Photosynthetic Light Energy Conversion * Photochemical Systems of Light Energy Conversion * Redox Processes on Surface of Semiconductors and Metals * DyeSensitized Solar Cells * Photocatalytic Reduction and Oxidation of Water

Gertz I. Likhtenshtein received his PhD and his doctor of science from the Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics at the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow, where he was appointed to the position of Head of Laboratory of Chemical Physics of Enzyme Catalysis in 1965, becoming a professor in 1976. In 1992 he moved to the Department of Chemistry at the Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Israel, as a full professor in charge of the Laboratory of Chemical Biophysics and has been an emeritus since 2003. He has authored nine scientific books and around 380 papers, and his many awards include the Medal of the Exhibition of Economic Achievement, the Diploma of Discovery, the USSR State Prize, the V.V. Voevodsky International Price for Chemical Physics and the Diploma of the Israel Chemical Society. Professor Likhtenshtein is a member of the International ESR Society, the American Biophysical Society, the Israel Chemical Society and the Israel ESR Society. His main scientific interests focus on antioxidants analysis and mechanisms of light energy conversion.

Leseprobe

Preface ELECTRON TRANSFER THEORIES Introduction Classical Theoretical Models Further Developments Long-Range Electron Transfer (LRET) Spin Effects in Charge Separation Electron-Proton Transfer Coupling Specificity of Electrochemical Electron Transfer Concerted and Multielectron Processes PRINCIPLE STAGES OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC LIGHT ENERGY CONVERSION Introduction Light Harvesting Antennas Reaction Center of Photosynthetic Bacteria (RCPB) Reaction Centers of Photosystems I and II Water Oxidation System (WOS) PHOTOCHEMICAL SYSTEMS OF THE LIGHT ENERGY CONVERSION Introduction Cyclic Tetrapyrroles Miscellaneous Donor-Acceptor Systems Photophysical and Photochemical Processes in Dual Fluorophore-Nitroxide Molecules (FNO) Electron Flow Through Proteins Factors Affecting Light Energy Conversion in Dual Fluorophore-Nitroxide Molecules in a Protein Photoinduced Interlayer Electron Transfer in Lipid Films REDOX PROCESSES ON SURFACE OF SEMICONDUCTORS AND METALS Semiconductors Redox Processes on Carbon Materials Redox Processes on Metal Surfaces Electron Transfer in Miscellaneous Systems DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS General Information on Solar Cells Dye Sensitized Solar Cells DSSCs Components DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS (CONTINUATION) Optical Fiber DSSL Tandem DSSC Quantum Dot Solar Cells Polymers in Solar Cells Fabrication of Solar Cells Components Fullerene-Based Solar Cells PHOTOCATALYTIC REDUCTION AND OXIDATION OF WATER Introduction Photocatalytic Dihydrogen Production Water Splitting onto O2 and H2