Fossil fuel use, such as coal, gas, and oil, is on the decline as clean energy from renewable sources is gradually overtaking it. For an energy source to be widely utilized, it must be both affordable and readily accessible. Hydrogen has shown promise for various applications, although its current production often relies on fossil fuels.
In an effort to address this, researchers at Paderborn University are engaged in a new project aimed at exploring the possibility of producing hydrogen from solar energy using specific carbon materials, thus making the process more environmentally friendly. This project, referred to as ‘C2-SPORT’ (Carbon Composites as Direct Z-Scheme Photocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting), has received approximately 20,000 euros in funding, affirming its potential to revolutionize clean energy technology.
“Using sunlight for water splitting in hydrogen and oxygen brings us a step closer to the ideal concept of a profitable, environmentally friendly energy source,” explains Junior Professor Maria Nieves López Salas of the Department of Chemistry at Paderborn University, who is heading up the project with Dr. Ying Pan, also from the Department of Chemistry.
Their innovative approach hinges on the “direct Z-scheme,” inspired by natural photosynthesis. This technique combines two semiconductor types, leveraging the unique strengths of each to achieve unprecedented efficiency in water splitting.
“Semiconductor-based photocatalytic water splitting using solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water has proven to be a promising solution for tackling energy and environmental issues,” explains López Salas.
Overcoming obstacles remains a challenge, such as the difficulty of completely splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using only one catalyst material.
“In photocatalytic reactions, light absorption, charge carrier separation, and the surface reactions of catalysts work together to create hydrogen from sunlight. To ensure high efficiency, these catalysts must be able to absorb light and separate charges efficiently, among other things,” López Salas adds.
The currently available semiconductors that consist of a single material struggle to meet these requirements.
Carbon-containing semiconductors may present an intriguing choice for Z-scheme photocatalyst setups due to their favorable photocatalytic performance and lighter weight compared to materials like titanium dioxide. In addition, they are cost-effective, dependable, and abundant on Earth. Through targeted research efforts, they could become prime contenders for hydrogen generation.
Pan notes, “Understanding this will have a significant impact on the search for technologies to convert solar energy into hydrogen energy. It could form the basis for extremely efficient catalysts and represent a major step towards new artificial photosynthesis devices.”
Since April of this year, the Paderborner Wissenschaftskolleg has provided funding for this project. The goal is to generate fresh research momentum at Paderborn University through cross-disciplinary research initiatives and global partnerships.
