Thermochemical Properties of ABO₃-Type Compounds for Solar Fuel Generation

Solar-driven thermochemical production of chemical fuels using redox active oxides has emerged as an attractive means for storing solar energy for use on demand. In this process, a reactive oxide is cyclically exposed at high temperatures toan inert gas, which induces partial reduction of the oxide, and subsequently to an oxiding gas of eitehr H₂O or CO₂, which reoxidizes the oxide, releasing H₂ or CO. While it is widely recognized that the <i>capacity </i>for fuel production is dictated by the thermodynamic properties of the oxide, here we show that the <i>rate </i>of fuel production is also often directly given by these properties. Recognizing this behavior, we report the thermodynamic properties, specifically the enthalpy and entropy of reduction, of a range of previously unexplored ABO₃-type compounds and identify those with promising characteristics for efficient thermochemical fuel production.