Preface

Photosynthesis is one of the most important reactions on Earth. The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis into organisms resulted in an increase in the concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere that provided the opportunity for development of organisms using respiration. We can learn many strategies from photosynthesis and apply those strategies in artificial photosynthesis. Artificial photosynthesis is a research field that attempts to replicate the natural process of photosynthesis. The goal of artificial photosynthesis is to use the energy of the sun to make different useful material or high-energy chemicals for energy production. This book is aimed at providing fundamental and applied aspects of artificial photosynthesis. In every section, important topics in the subject are discussed and reviewed by experts.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all contributors for their chapters.

I wish to express my gratitude to the staff at InTech, particularly Mr. Vedran Greblo, for his kind assistance. I am grateful to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences in Zanjan, Iran for their support.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Mary, for her encouragement and infinite patience throughout the time that the book was being prepared.

> **Mohammad Mahdi Najafpour**  Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences, Gava Zang, Zanjan, Iran

**Part 1** 

**Introduction** 
