New solar material promotes green hydrogen production
Researchers in the field of nanoscale chemistry have made significant progress in advancing the sustainable and efficient production of hydrogen from water using solar energy.
An international study led by Flinders University, with partners in South Australia, the US and Germany, has identified a new solar cell process that could play a crucial role in photocatalytic water splitting for the production of green hydrogen.
The research introduces a new class of kinetically stable ‘core and shell Sn(II) perovskite’ oxide solar material. In combination with a catalyst developed by American researchers led by Professor Paul Maggard, this material shows potential as a catalyst for the essential oxygen evolution reaction, a key step in generating pollution-free hydrogen energy.
The findings, published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, provide new insights into the development of carbon-free hydrogen technologies, using renewable and greenhouse gas-free energy sources for high-performance and cost-effective electrolysis processes.
“This latest study is an important step forward in understanding how these tin compounds can be stabilized and effective in water,” said Professor Gunther Andersson, lead author from the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology.
Professor Paul Maggard of Baylor University added: “Our reported material points to a new chemical strategy for absorbing the broad energy range of sunlight and using it to drive fuel-producing reactions at its surfaces.”
Tin and oxygen compounds such as those used in the research are already being applied in various fields, such as catalysis, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic medicine. However, Sn(II) compounds are typically reactive with water and dioxygen, limiting their technological potential.
Global solar photovoltaic research continues to focus on developing cost-effective, high-performance perovskite-based systems as an alternative to conventional silicon and other existing technologies.
Hydrogen, often touted as a clean fuel, can be produced through several processes, including renewable energy-based electrolysis, thermochemical water splitting using concentrated solar energy, or waste heat from nuclear reactors. Although fossil fuels and biomass can also generate hydrogen, environmental and energy efficiency largely depends on the production method.
Solar-powered hydrogen production, which uses light to initiate the process, is emerging as a promising alternative to industrial-scale hydrogen generation.
This study builds on previous research led by Professor Maggard, initially at North Carolina State University and now at Baylor University, and includes contributions from experts from the University of Adelaide such as Professor Greg Metha and collaborators from the Universitat Munster in Germany . Professor Metha’s work investigates the photocatalytic activity of metal clusters on oxide surfaces for reactor technologies.
Research report:Chemical and valence electron structure of the core and shell of Sn(II)-perovskite oxide nanoshells
