Solar photocatalytic hydrogen production from water using a dual bed photosystem. Task 2 report; Annual report

This work is an investigation into the use of photocatalytic particles in a dual bed configuration, so as to effect the solar-driven decomposition of water to its constituent elements, particularly hydrogen. The system envisioned would consist of two modules, each consisting of a shallow, flat, sealed container, in which micron-sized photocatalytic particles are immobilized. An aqueous solution containing a redox mediator is pumped between the two chambers. Different photoparticles and catalysts are chosen for their respective modules so as to effect oxidative water-splitting in one vessel to evolve oxygen gas, and reductive water-splitting in the other to evolve hydrogen. This is a direct photoconversion scheme that breaks down the energetic requirement for water decomposition into a 2-photon process, and enables separate production of hydrogen and oxygen. Titanium dioxide, TiO{sub 2}, and indium phosphide, InP, were employed as photoparticles in the O{sub 2}- and H{sub 2}-evolving beds, respectively. Platinum catalysts were evaluated to prompt H{sub 2}-evolution. Calculations on the energy band structure of free and immobilized particles provided guidance as to how the microstructure of the particles should be configured. A series of redox mediators, spanning a range of redox potentials, were tested. While many electron donors facilitated H{sub 2}-evolution, only the most oxidizing ones enabled O{sub 2}-evolution. A single redox couple, capable of charge exchange in both modules, is desirable to avoid system design complexity