Researchers from the Madrid Institute of Advanced Energy Studies (IMDEA) have managed to convert the controversial CO2 into a reusable source to produce a green fuel: hydrogen. The result is a new photocatalyst material that can produce record amounts of hydrogen.
Photocatalysis for H2 production
Hydrogen is an energy vector that has various natural resources and forms of extraction. One way to obtain it is from water, as Spain uses to generate energy, and from low molecular weight organic components, such as ethanol, from CO2.
The IMDEA applied photocatalysis to generate H2. This technique consists of a photochemical reaction that converts solar energy into chemical energy on the surface of a catalyst. The research group succeeded in synthesizing and characterizing a new photocatalyst material, which can produce record amounts of hydrogen.
Photocatalyst material
According to some sources it is The new material is about IEF -11a new metal-organic framework (MOF) based on titanium with semiconducting properties, but crucial to carry out the energy transformation in the most efficient way.
This material has proven to have a high performance rate in the production of H2. IEF-11 has been shown to be stable to 300ºC without loss of efficiency, even after 10 cycles of photocatalysis. It manages to maintain its integrity and excellent absorption of solar radiation.
Compared to other similar materials, this does not require the presence of other catalysts or the addition of other compounds to promote the reaction. The component developed by IMDEA Energy researchers is used as a photocatalyst to obtain hydrogen through the electrolysis of water.
We can emphasize one of the advantages its thermal stability and recyclability. During these processes, photocatalysts can become damaged, causing hydrogen production to decrease after several successive cycles.
How the IEF-11 material was prepared
The material was prepared by heating a mixture of precursors dispersed in a solvent in a closed reactor using a combinatorial synthesis method. Due to its nanometric nature, it was only possible to solve its crystal structure through a combination of unconventional techniques.
Specifically the three-dimensional electron diffraction technique (3DED) and X-ray powder diffraction, which uses synchrotron radiation. Moreover, it has been proven extraordinary structural and chemical stability under a wide variety of aggressive conditions (pH, organic solvents and irradiation).
As mentioned on other occasions, hydrogen is an important component for the operation of transport in general and for obtaining heat and electricity.
Part of the innovation of the IMDEA group is the use of CO2 as a source and the realization of a circular economy in which this gas, responsible for the greenhouse effect created by the combustion of fossil elements, it is reused to become a green fuel which in turn allows us to mitigate climate change.
In addition, the chemical energy extracted from solar energy via photocatalysis can be stored and recovered on demand, reducing pollutant gas emissions from hydrogen extraction.
IMDEA researchers have pointed out that the material has a potential application in, for example, solar panels immersed in water tanks, similar to the solar panels they recently installed in the Alps, where the absorption of the element would significantly reduce performance costs, according to an assessment The reason.