Czech researchers from Charles University, Prague, led by Pavla Eliášová, have developed an advanced photocathode that helps convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into pure ethanol using sunlight. The new technology solves a long-standing problem of material degradation in water, achieves record conversion efficiency, and opens the way toward sustainable production of green fuels.Converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful fuels using solar energy represents the holy grail of modern green chemistry. The device enabling this conversion is called a solar reactor. Its key element is a photocathode: a material that absorbs light and enables the chemical reaction. Cuprous oxide long appeared to be an ideal material because it is inexpensive, readily available, and excels at capturing solar rays. In practice, however, it faced a fundamental obstacle: in an aqueous environment under light, it transforms and degrades extremely rapidly—much like iron undergoing swift corrosion—and loses its functionality within just tens of minutes.The team from the Chemistry Section of the Faculty of Science, CU, led by Pavla Eliášová, in collaboration with Tomáš Hrbek from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, CU, resolved this issue by creating a unique "nano-sandwich". The scientists combined cuprous oxide with advanced two-dimensional materials called MXenes and, through precisely controlled heating, created an ultrathin layer of titanium dioxide on their surface. MXene modified in this way can rapidly drain electric charge from the cuprous oxide, thereby slowing down its decomposition. At the same time, it uses the charge further to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuel."Surface-engineered MXene combined with cuprous oxide allowed us to unite the best of both materials. The copper base enables maximum utilization of light energy, while the conductive MXene framework ensures that the material remains active even after many hours of operation," explains research team leader Pavla Eliášová from the Chemistry Section of the Faculty of Science, Charles University.In laboratory tests, the new photocathode achieved a record solar-energy-to-ethanol conversion efficiency of 2,74 %. A crucial improvement is the formation of only a single product. While other systems often produce a mixture of byproducts, the material designed by the research team produces pure ethanol as its sole liquid product, which significantly simplifies its potential industrial application."This is a major step forward for us. On our laboratory scale, the system works very well and produces ethanol over many hours. In the next step, we want to further reinforce the stability of the entire photocathode and begin testing on a larger scale and under real daylight conditions," adds physical chemist Pavla Eliášová.The research was conducted within the international European project DESIRED (Horizon Europe), with support from the Charles University Research Centre (UNCE) and the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program.<blockquote><h4>Article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.71469">Surface-Engineered Ti3C2Tx MXene/Cu2O Photocathodes for Highly Selective Photoelectrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Ethanol</a></h4>Luis A. M. Carrascosa, Magdaléna Linková, Monika Remzová, Tomáš Hrbek, Pavla EliášováAdv. Energy Mater., 2026, 16, e71469<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.71469">https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.71469</a><h6>licenced under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote><h4>Abstract</h4>Cu2O is an inexpensive p-type semiconductor that promotes the photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (PEC CO2RR). While its low bandgap enables photoexcitation by visible light, long-term stability remains limited due to quick charge recombination and photocorrosion. Here, we enhanced charge separation and extraction by combining Cu2O with surface-engineered MXenes. In this novel architecture, TiO2 grows in situ on the surface of Ti3C2Tx and serves as a charge-transport layer, forming a junction with Cu2O. On the other side, the outer TiO2 surface exposed to the CO2-saturated electrolyte offers catalytically active sites for CO2 reduction. Acting as a central layer, the MXene conductive backbone provides an electronically continuous pathway for electron transport. In PEC CO2RR, the photocathode containing 50 wt.% of MXene and a balanced amount of TiO2 on the Ti3C2 surface outperformed the best Cu/CuxO-based systems operating in non-organic electrolytes reported in the literature. The FTO/Cu2O/ml-Ti3C2Tx-350-N2 photocathode reached 8.4&nbsp;µmol&nbsp;cm−2 h−1 ethanol production rate and 2.74% solar-to-ethanol efficiency after 2&nbsp;h. Moreover, pairing TiO2-MXene with Cu2O significantly stabilized the photocathode, which maintained 76% of the ethanol production rate after 6 h. Overall, our results establish surface-engineered Cu2O/TiO2-MXene heterostructures as a solid platform for highly selective, visible-light-driven ethanol production with significantly improved operational stability.

Researchers from Charles University, Prague, Have Developed a New Photocathode for Efficient Conversion of CO2 into Ethanol

<div><div>Protons play a central role in many chemical reactions in living organisms. In some cases, a proton may be shared between two nearby molecular groups rather than being localized on just one. This phenomenon can strongly influence the properties and reactivity of biomolecules and is important for enzyme function.</div></div><div>Researchers led by Hanns Christian Schewe (IOCB Prague and Heyrovský Institute of the CAS) together with Lukáš Tomaník (UCT Prague and Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society) have now investigated proton sharing in a range of biologically relevant polycarboxylic acids dissolved in water, including several molecules related to the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle).Using liquid-jet X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (LJ-PES), a technique that reveals the chemical environment of atoms in molecules dissolved in water, the team was able to probe the position of protons on an ultrafast time scale. Unlike techniques such as NMR, which provide a time-averaged picture, photoelectron spectroscopy captures the instantaneous distribution of protons and can therefore distinguish more directly between localized and shared states.The results showed significant proton sharing only in maleic acid dissolved in water. In contrast, protons remained mostly localized at individual carboxylic groups in succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, glutaric acid and citric acid. This suggests that proton sharing is not a common feature of these molecules when they are freely dissolved in water.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/IOCB_Prague_Cropped_part_of_the_cover_by_Schewe_et_al_with_the_use_of_Nano_Banana_2_0_2_2a408dbeb5.webp" alt="IOCB Prague: Cropped part of the cover by Schewe et al. with the use of Nano Banana 2.0: Full cover by Schewe et al. with the use of Nano Banana 2.0." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_IOCB_Prague_Cropped_part_of_the_cover_by_Schewe_et_al_with_the_use_of_Nano_Banana_2_0_2_2a408dbeb5.webp 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1620" height="2154">The difference appears to be largely controlled by molecular geometry. In maleic acid, the two carboxylic groups are held close together, creating favorable conditions for proton sharing. More flexible molecules can adopt conformations in which the groups are farther apart, while water molecules form strong hydrogen bonds with them and favor localized protons.However, the situation may be different inside proteins. When a carboxylic acid binds in the active site of an enzyme, its shape and position can be tightly constrained. Such an environment could bring the relevant groups close enough together to promote proton sharing and thereby influence enzymatic reactions.The study highlights an important distinction: proton sharing may be rare in freely hydrated molecules but could become important when biomolecules are held in the right geometry by enzymes. It also demonstrates that LJ-PES is a powerful tool for studying proton behavior in solutions. Its ultrafast and site-specific sensitivity could in future help researchers investigate proton sharing directly in more complex chemical and biological systems.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/jaaucr/article/6/6/3349/5084661/Proton-Sharing-in-Polycarboxylic-Acids-in-Aqueous">Proton Sharing in Polycarboxylic Acids in Aqueous Solution</a></h4>Lukáš Tomaník, Jiří Tůma, Gunnar Öhrwall, Ronny Golnak, Ngoc Lan Le Nguyen, Bruno Credidio, Harmanjot Kaur, Petr Slavíček, Bernd Winter, H. Christian Schewe<div>JACS Au, 2026, 6, 3349–3355</div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.6c00377">https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.6c00377</a><h6>licenced under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote><h4>Abstract</h4>We investigate proton sharing in biologically relevant polycarboxylic acids in aqueous solutions using liquid-jet X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In contrast to techniques that record time-averaged proton positions, like nuclear magnetic resonance, photoelectron spectroscopy captures instantaneous proton distribution due to its ultrafast probing time scale. The method is, therefore, uniquely sensitive to the occurrence of proton sharing in an aqueous environment, as demonstrated here. We only observe significant proton sharing dynamics in maleic acid, where its monoanionic form shows a single, delocalized peak in the carbon 1s spectrum. Conversely, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, glutaric acid, and citric acid exhibit distinct peaks corresponding to separate, localized COOH and COO– groups, instead of shared protons. Our results reveal that intramolecular proton sharing in water is rather an exception for most biologically relevant polycarboxylic acids. This highlights the importance of enzyme-driven structural changes of polycarboxylic acids associated with proton sharing during metabolic processes.</div>

Proton sharing in polycarboxylic acids in aqueous solution

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The main mission of the Faculty of Science is to create highly qualified experts in biology, chemistry, geography, geology and in other interdisciplinary fields. Its scientific and research effort aims to solve key problems concerned with the development of human society. Some of the priority long-term subjects are human health, the study of the function and prediction of the development of ecosystems and the biosphere, and the development of environmentally-friendly materials based on the utilization of renewable resources.

Přírodovědecká fakulta Univerzity Karlovy

The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague) is a leading scientific institution in the Czech Republic, recognized internationally. Its primary mission is basic research in the fields of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, organic and material oriented chemistry, chemistry of natural compounds, biochemistry and molecular biology, physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, and analytical chemistry. 

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Analytika is a Czech company that offers and produces certified reference materials (CRM) and (ultra)pure chemicals for quality control and quality assurance in laboratories, including accredited laboratories.

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Thermo Scientific ARL SMS-Omega XRF Instrument

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Proton sharing in polycarboxylic acids in aqueous solution

Equip Your Laboratory for Autumn at a Better Price

Researchers from Charles University, Prague, Have Developed a New Photocathode for Efficient Conversion of CO2 into Ethanol