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 capacity for fuel production is dictated by the thermodynamic properties of the oxide, here we show that the rate 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.