Hydrogen production from water is one of the most promising methods to secure renewable sources for energy in general and chemical industry in particular. There are many methods for producing hydrogen from water and these include reducible oxide materials (solar thermal material), combined PV/electrolysis, artificial photosynthesis and photocatalysis. In this work we are focusing on two different concepts (methods) related to the design of photocatalysts based on TiO2 and noble metals for water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen (in presence of typically 1 to 5 vol. % of an organic compound as a sacrificial agent); both are poised to decrease the electron-hole recombination rate. The first one is based on the co-incidence of the electronic band gap of the semiconductor with its photonic band gap once prepared in a 3-D ordered inverse opal structure. The second one is the synergistic effect of the anatase and rutile phases of TiO2. Both methods are found to enhance the rate of hydrogen production. Reasons for the photocatalytic activity are discussed based on materials analysis and reaction rate measurements.

Photocatalysis for hydrogen production from water

246th National Meeting (2013)

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