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The demand for hydrogen has increased dramatically around the world, not only due to the industrial and agricultural requirements for ammonia production, hydrogenation and metal refinery etc, but more importantly the need of hydrogen for clean fuel which is for emerging zero-carbon transportation. When hydrogen is used in fuel cell cars, only water is produced without any harmful exhaust. However, the production of hydrogen by a green method using the low carbon feedstock remains a big challenge.
Near half of the hydrogen today is produced by steam reforming with non-renewable methane, which requires substantial energy input operated at high temperature and pressure, along with expensive catalysts. This energy-intensive reforming process brings about a severe impact on the environment as a result of usage of fossil fuel and substantial emissions of CO2.
Photocatalytic hydrogen production from bioalcohols (e.g. biomethanol or bioethanol) is regarded as a promising alternative way for green H2 production, utilising inexhaustible solar energy and renewable biomass substrates to produce H2 by semiconductor catalysts.
Research in our group focuses on the design and test of novel photocatalysts for efficient catalytic hydrogen production from bio-alcohols. In parallel, we develop a novel flow reaction system for continuous and improved hydrogen production, which can be readily scaled up for massive H2 production.
TiO2 is the most reliable, non-toxic and low-cost candidate photocatalyst. Our new photocatalysts based on TiO2 can produce around 1.2 kg of H2 per kg of photocatalyst in one day. The polymer photocatalysts are the group of photocatalysts of interest herein. The fundamental reaction mechanism undertaken in our lab further indicates the next step for optimisation of our catalyst and reaction system for massive H2 production.
Selected Publications
Martin, D.J., Qiu, K., Shevlin, S.A., Handoko, A.D., Chen, X., Guo, Z., Tang, J. (2014). Highly efficient photocatalytic H₂ evolution from water using visible light and structure-controlled graphitic carbon nitride.. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION, 53 (35), 9240-9245. doi:10.1002/anie.201403375
