Page 170 - CW E-Magazine (30-7-2024)

Special Report
Photoelectrochemical water splitting – a promising
technique for hydrogen production
nvironmental degradation and taic panels) as electrode systems or as
climate change due to carbon slurry-based particle system, each with
Eemissions from burning fossil its own advantages and challenges.
fuels has triggered the need for sus- To date, panel systems have been the
tainable and renewable energy source. most widely studied owing to similari- Email: amiyakantidas2010@gmail.com different researchers.
Hydrogen, especially green hydrogen, ties with established photovoltaic panel
is seen as having the potential to meet technologies. The process has been National Renewal Energy Laboratory,
global energy requirement. It is an demonstrated in a laboratory scale in USA. Both panel and slurry reactor
energy source as well as energy carrier.
Moreover, it is also clean burning,
evolving only water on combustion.
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water
splitting is a method that generates
hydrogen from water using solar radia-
tion. In PEC water splitting hydrogen is
produced from water using sunlight and
specialised semiconductors, called photo-
electrochemical materials, which use
light energy directly to dissociate a
water molecule into H and O . In 1971,
2
2
Fujishima and Honda fi rst successfully
demonstrated that TiO could be used
2
to decompose water to H and O . (A.
2
2
Fujishima & K Honda, Nature, 1972,
238, 37). Since then, considerable
efforts have been made towards the com-
mercial feasibility of this research area.
PEC water splitting process
The PEC water splitting process
uses semiconductor materials to con-
vert solar energy directly to chemical
energy in the form of H . The semicon-
2
ductor materials used in PEC process
are similar to those used in photovoltaic
solar electricity generation. But for
PEC applications the semiconductor is
immersed in a water-based electrolyte,
where sunlight energises the water-
splitting process. Water splitting reac-
tion occurs both in acid electrolyte
as well as basic electrolyte.
The PEC reactors can be constructed
in panel form (similar to photovol-
170
Contents Index to Advertisers
A.K. DAS
Retd. Industrial Adviser
Department of Chemicals & Petro-
chemicals, Government of India vanadate, etc. have been studied by
Chemical Weekly July 30, 2024
Index to Products Advertised
Special Report
concept can be seen in the Figure taken Among all these, it has been reported 4. Hydrogen production by photo-
Target Your Market More Effectively
from the lab’s literature available in that the combination of semiconduc-
electrochemical water splitting,
public domain. tors and heterogeneous co-catalysts is US Dept. of Energy, https://www.
energy.gov.fuelcells.
one of the most effective approaches
IndiaChemTrade
ChemImpex
While Fujishima and Honda used to improve PEC performance for solar 5. I.R. Hamdani, A.N. Bhaskarwar,
TiO as the photocatalytic material, fuel production. Free for subscribers of Chemical Weekly
For subscribers only
Recent progress in material selection
2
since then many materials like gallium and device for PEC water splitting,
ChemImpex, the trade database, tracks, on a daily
IndiaChemTrade provides consolidated trade statistics
nitride, silicon, tungsten oxide, bismuth Concluding remarks Renewable & Sustainable Energy
of India. The information provided here is based on the
basis, exports and imports of chemicals and related
PEC water splitting is a promising Reviews, Vol. 138, March 2021.
products through the major ports in India — a vital
annual trade data published by the Directorate General
technique for producing H and O .
2
2
source of commercial intelligence. Find out on-line of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Government
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
However, many challenges and limita-
how international markets are moving; where your of India. The database can be searched by: Chemical
Various theoretical models have tions are yet to be overcome. With lite-
Mr. Amiya Kanti
been used to study the interfacial rature fl ooded with new reports, it is Code to obtain the consolidated
competitors are exporting and at what price; where
Name/Harmonised
behaviour of the electrode and electrolyte hoped that a tangible process-technology Das (born 1939) is
trade (import or export) in that item; or by Country to
imports are coming from and how their prices are
function, and to determine the optimal for PEC water splitting will emerge a B.Sc (Hons.) and
obtain the trade (import or export) in all chemicals and
moving. Download all this data, seamlessly, for a
M.Sc in Chemistry
reactor design; aid material develop- in near future. related products between India and that country
small fee — online, anytime, with no hassles.
ment; and to understand the free ener- from Calcutta Uni-
gies of solid-liquid interfaces. Further reading versity. Widely travel-
ChemXchange
1. Photoelectrochemical water split- led in Europe and
Open to all registered users — no subscription required
To improve the PEC performance, ting an ideal technology for pure India, he was a regular contributor
ChemXchange — the chemical exchange with a difference — is where you can identify your buyers and sup-
efforts are ongoing including various hydrogen, Nitu Singh Parihar et al, in chemical journals during 80’s
plyers on-line, any time. This unique platform is free to all advertisers in the print version of Chemical Weekly.
strategies such as: J. Chem Soc., Vol. 97, July 2020, and 90’s and is profi cient in German
 Bandgap engineering by developing 1099-1103. and Russian. Before superannua-
For more information contact: 022-24044477. Fax: 022-24044450
narrow bandgap semiconductors that 2. Roel K., Photoelectrochemical tion on May 31, 1997 from the post
Email: corporate@chemicalweekly.com or log on to chemicalweekly.com
absorb light over a wide range of Hydrogen Production, 1st Ed, 2012, of Industrial Advisor in the Dept. of
wavelength; Springer Science & Business Media. Chemicals and Petrochemicals, he
 Incorporating metal nanoparticles; 3. The Principles of PEC Water Split- dealt with diverse chemical indus-
 Developing co-catalysts etc. ting, World Scentifi c Publishing. tries for three decades.
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Chemical Weekly July 30, 2024 171