Hydrogen.gov | E. Alternative Sources

E. Alternative Sources

1. Photocatalytic Water Splitting
Description: Includes tandem photovoltaic-electrolytic processes.

a) Light harvesting

b) Composite and nanoscale chemical systems

c) Interfacial chemistry

d) Catalysis and photocatalysis

e) Materials and characterization tools

i. Translucent, Hydrogen-Impermeable Materials

f) Theory and modeling

g) Stability and degradation mechanisms

2. Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

a) Semiconductor Materials
Goals: Cost, Durability, Efficiency

i. Use combinatorial or other screening methods to identify semiconductors that can meet the technical targets.

ii. Test new materials by placing them in operation for 1000 hrs.

iii. Identify and develop coatings to resist corrosion.

iv. Evaluate electrolyte options for improved semiconductor durability and efficiency.

v. Develop accelerated screening protocols to predict material durability.

b) Hybrid systems
Goal: Reduce cost, improve efficiency and durability

i. Photochemical H2 production using in-situ generated nano-particles
Description: Nano-particles can be matched to the solar spectrum.

c) Reactor design
Goals: Optimize light-capture efficiency, hydrogen production, and gas collection.

d) Light harvesting

e) Bandgap engineering

f) Charge transport

g) Catalysis and photocatalysis

h) Theory and modeling

i) Stability and degradation mechanisms

3. Biomimetic Systems
Description: Artificial photosynthesis for water splitting

a) Catalysts

i. Efficiently interface biomimetic redox catalysts into complex 2D, 3D structures for hydrogen/oxygen catalysis, sensing, and energy transduction.

ii. Exploit biodiversity for novel biocatalysts and determining mechanisms of assembly.

b) Interface system

i. Couple electrode materials to light-driven catalytic water oxidation, hydrogen production components.

c) Nanostructures

i. Develop biomimetic nanostructures to organize catalytic functions of water oxidation and hydrogen.

4. Methane Splitting by Solar Energy