GH2

ABSTRACT

Water splitting for H2 production driven by solar energy is quite attractive while the current efficiency is very moderate due to both the extremely sluggish water oxidation half reaction and limited light harvesting (mostly UV-visible light). In addition, the separation of one product H2 from the other O2 during water splitting is very costly. The project is designed to address these challenges by i) utilizing the full solar spectrum (300-2500nm) instead of UVvisible light (300-700nm), ii) coupling water splitting with biomass-derivative oxidation to avoid water oxidation, iii) well combining solid Z-scheme UV-visible photocatalysis and Infrared-driven thermal catalysis, and iv) using a flow double tube reactor other than batch reactors, thus targeting to produce green H2 from both water and biomass with a high quantum yield of 60% .

Furthermore the project will co-produce high-value chemicals with a high selectivity of >90%. In addition, the integration of low-cost and efficient catalysts with novel flow reactors will assure a continuous and efficient production of H2 and high-value chemicals. The entire process does not use fossil fuels nor produce CO2, thus a zero carbon-emission technology. Finally the system can be readily scaled up by numbering up the reactor modules. All these are built upon a multidisciplinary and international consortium with the global experts in photocatalysis, thermal catalysis, reactor engineering, product separation, simulation and social science.

Therefore the scientific and technical challenges, as well as the environmental, societal and economic impacts will be fully addressed in the project. The proposed technology will typically benefit the EU economy by an innovative green H2 production process from water and biomass, heavily contributing to a low carbon society. In addition, the international team including members from Asia will facilitate the technology exploitation out of the EU, to further benefit the EU economy.