Artificial photosynthesis is a process that mimics the natural process of photosynthesis to convert sunlight into chemical energy. In artificial photosynthesis, a light-absorbing material is used to capture the energy of sunlight, which is then used to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen can then be used as a fuel, while the oxygen is released into the atmosphere.
Some of the emerging trends in artificial photosynthesis include the use of quantum dots and nanocrystals for light absorption, the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for photocatalytic reactions, and the use of porous organic polymers (POPs) for solar energy storage.