A new way to produce hydrogen from water uses no expensive metals and absorbs a wider range of sunlight

via Osaka University

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and is considered by many to be a potential clean fuel of the future. Water and fossil fuels contain large amounts of hydrogen, but unlocking molecular dihydrogen fuel from these sources takes a great deal of energy, casting doubt over any future hydrogen economy. Turning water into hydrogen using solar energy could lead the way to cheap and clean hydrogen fuel. However, this process currently relies on photocatalysts containing expensive precious metals, limiting its capacity.

Now, researchers centered at Osaka University have developed a new kind of photocatalyst for producing hydrogen from water, which is not only free of expensive metals but also absorbs a wider range of sunlight than ever before. The group recently reported their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

“We were pleased to find a good amount of hydrogen produced from water using our new composite photocatalyst with graphitic carbon nitride and black phosphorous,” lead author Tetsuro Majima says. “But what we didn’t expect to find was that even when using low-energy light, in the near infrared, the photocatalyst continued to produce hydrogen.”

Like graphite, graphitic carbon nitride forms in large sheets, but carbon nitride sheets also have holes that can interact with hydrogen molecules. In the past, photocatalysts based on carbon nitride have needed help from precious metals to produce hydrogen from water. The researchers found the metal could be replaced by a kind of phosphorus, which is a widely abundant and inexpensive element.

They showed that their photocatalyst was effective for producing hydrogen from water using energy from different kinds of light. Most unusually, even near infrared light with low energy could drive the hydrogen production.

Studies of the working photocatalyst in the picosecond time scale revealed that strong interactions between the carbon nitride and black phosphorous in the composite promoted hydrogen production. When the two materials were tested separately, energy from the sunlight was rapidly dissipated and little or no hydrogen was produced.

Lead author Tetsuro Majima says, “The hydrogen economy faces a great many challenges, but our work demonstrates the potential for efficiently and cheaply producing hydrogen from water with a photocatalyst based on widely abundant elements. This is an important step toward making other hydrogen-based technologies economically and environmentally viable.”

Figure: Transmittance electron microscopic image of the composite photocatalyst with two components, black phosphorous (BP) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). (credit : Osaka University)

Learn more: A new way to produce clean hydrogen fuel from water using sunlight

The Latest on: Hydrogen from water

Honda is axing its Clarity hydrogen and hybrid cars in a big EV cull
on June 18, 2021 at 11:42 am
Honda is axing its Clarity range, with the plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell cars given their marching orders as the automaker looks to new EVs and hybrids. It followed the discontinuation of ...
Mumbai: IIT-B researchers develop a low-cost way of extracting hydrogen from water
on June 18, 2021 at 11:30 am
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) have developed energy and cost-efficient method of extracting hydrogen from water ...
Hydrogen hopeful Italy seeks up to 1.5 bln euros for giant electrolyser plant
on June 18, 2021 at 6:53 am
Italy plans to raise up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.79 billion) to build a 1 gigawatt-per-year electrolyser factory as part of plans to become a European green hydrogen hub, internal documents and ...
Honda to end production of its hydrogen and plug-in hybrid Clarity cars
on June 18, 2021 at 12:38 am
After killing off the Clarity EV last year, Honda is ending production of its hydrogen fuel-cell and plug-in hybrid Clarity models this summer..
With Recent Correction And Possible Regulatory Tailwinds, Are Hydrogen Stocks A Buy?
on June 17, 2021 at 11:27 pm
O ur theme of Hydrogen Economy Stocks includes the stocks of U.S. listed companies that sell hydrogen fuel cells, related renewable energy equipment, and supply hydrogen gas. While the theme is up by ...
BMW mixes water and electricity in 'i Hydrogen Next' powertrain
on June 17, 2021 at 10:16 pm
Water and electricity usually don't make a good mix, but BMW wants to prove otherwise with its i Hydrogen Next powertrain. The German marque has started to test vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell ...
Planes, Trains and Automobiles: If It Moves, GM Will Build Hydrogen Fuel Cells
on June 17, 2021 at 7:33 pm
GM wants to put hydrogen fuel cells in airplanes. For starters, to replace the auxiliary power unit that provides power on the ground. But one day, fuel cells m ...
Hopium Unveils Its Hydrogen-powered Sedan Prototype And Opens The First 1000 Pre-orders
on June 17, 2021 at 7:38 am
Hopium (FR0014000U63 / symbol: MLHPI), the French manufacturer of hydrogen powered sedans, unveils its very first rolling prototype during the Viva Technology week in Paris. To view the Multimedia ...
Examining the emerging hydrogen industry in Australia
on June 17, 2021 at 7:35 am
Australia has the potential to become a major player in the Hydrogen market that is estimated to reach $201 billion by 2025. Factors like abundant land and energy resources, status as a major energy ...
Computers help researchers find materials to turn solar power into hydrogen
on June 17, 2021 at 6:18 am
Using solar energy to inexpensively harvest hydrogen from water could help replace carbon-based fuel sources and shrink the world's carbon footprint. However, finding materials that could boost ...