Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Introduction

The key point of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution technique is in developing efficiently and stably photocatalysts. The photocatalysts generates hole electronic under light irradiation, the electronic reduces the H⁺ to produce H₂. Since the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution first reported by Fujishima A and Honda K in 1972,^[1] this field has received more and more attention from researchers and many photocatalysts has been reported in succession.

Figure 1. The hydrogen energy

Processes of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Generally, there are several crucial processes in the reaction of the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution^[1]:

a) Semiconductor photocatalyst absorbs light.

b) Then, the photocatalyst generates electron-charge pairs.

c) Subsequently, the photoinduced electron-hole carriers were separated and transferred.

d) Finally, the reduction of H⁺ by active electrons to produce H₂.

Figure 2. Schematic illustration of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

What Can Alfa Chemistry Do?

Alfa Chemistry's technical R&D team has focused on the preparation and application of photocatalysts for many years, which has established long-term cooperative relationships with many well-known enterprises and research institutions. We have conducted research on various problems encountered by photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, which can select the appropriate solution according to the customer's experimental purpose. The related technologies of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution we provide are as follows:

• The high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-charge carriers is really common in various types of photocatalysts. We can provide the technology of separation of photoinduced electron–charge pairs by different methods in order to improve the overall performance of the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.
• Choosing photocatalysts with proper band gaps and carefully controlling the band structures of photocatalysts are also thermodynamically favorable for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. We can provide the technology of controlling the band structures of photocatalysts to improve the performance of the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Reference

• Zhong Y. Self-assembled supramolecular nanostructure photosensitizers for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. APL Mater., 2020, 8: 120706-120719.