Ressource pédagogique : Sixto Malato - Solar photocatalytic hydrogen production at pilot scale

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Solar energy is well-recognized as a sustainable and clean energy source. Among the various approaches to solar energy conversion, solar-driven hydrogen production is one of the most promising ways to convert solar energy into hydrogen, a storable fuel. Hydrogen is undoubtedly one of the most attractive renewable alternatives to fossil fuels for a number of reasons: (i) hydrogen can be safely stored; (ii) it is an excellent energy carrier since it can store 3 times as much energy as conventional natural gas; (iii) its combustion is environmentally friendly (no release of greenhouse gases or hazardous by-products). However, the production of hydrogen currently relies in steam reforming of CH4 and CO, and thus, involves the consumption of fossil fuel energy and the emission of greenhouse gases. There are efforts to find alternative renewable technologies to produce hydrogen, the so-called green hydrogen.   It is well-known that the efficiency of heterogeneous photocatalysis for hydrogen generation from water splitting is quite low. The efficiency of photocatalysis hydrogen generation can be improved by using aqueous sacrificial agents (organic electron donors) dissolved in water. Industrial wastewater containing high concentrations of methanol/glycerol/formic acid have been used as feedstock. Effluents from municipal wastewaters could also be used, as they would contain dozens of mg/L of organic load. This means that in a simultaneous process, hydrogen generation and contaminants removal can take place. It is important to notice that the application of this technology has a double purpose: first, to produce a clean fuel such as hydrogen and, second, to treat, reduce the organic load and decontaminate wastewater in certain extent.

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• Chimie et sciences connexes (540)

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