Publication date: 26th March 2026
Solar-driven hydrogen production is a central goal in the development of sustainable energy technologies. Hybrid systems that combine light-absorbing materials with molecular catalysts offer promising routes to achieve efficient solar-to-fuel conversion. Here we examine two complementary strategies for hydrogen generation: light-induced proton reduction using semiconductor–molecular catalyst assemblies and solar-powered electrochemical hydrogen production coupled to ammonia oxidation. In the photochemical approach, semiconductor quantum dots act as efficient photosensitizers while molecular catalysts mediate proton reduction in aqueous media. Time-resolved studies reveal rapid electron transfer from photoexcited quantum dots to the catalyst, whereas catalytic turnover proceeds on slower timescales, identifying catalytic kinetics as the main limitation to overall hydrogen evolution efficiency. In parallel, photovoltaic-driven electrochemical systems enable hydrogen production through ammonia oxidation using molecular catalysts, reducing the energetic requirements relative to water electrolysis. Together, these results highlight the importance of controlling interfacial charge transfer and catalytic kinetics to advance efficient solar-to-hydrogen technologies based on hybrid molecular–semiconductor systems.
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