Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

This project develops the engineering equipment needed to scale up a new photosynthetic light-driven process that uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The process is highly efficient and promises lower cost production of hydrogen than any other existing technology. It uses specially designed molecular complexes in a substrate material that utilizes incoming photons to transfer electrons to a central reaction site, which then catalyzes or facilitates a water-splitting process. The process has been previously demonstrated at a small test-tube scale. This project aims to scale up the process to larger capacities of hydrogen production with engineering lab-scale equipment. In addition, it will analyze the system operation and perform thermodynamic optimization studies to improve its performance. The process uses artificially created complexes that are capable of absorbing energy from visible light and generating multiple electrons, which are used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The project will consist of the following main phases: (i) preparation of photocatalysts to facilitate the solar water reduction; (ii) modeling and experimental scale-up of the hydrogen production system from micro-liter to liter scale; (iii) identification of possible improvements of the device design; and (iv) optimization studies that support the development of a pre-commercial pilot scale facility. It will also study the impact of sky conditions and incident solar radiation on conversion efficiency at various geographic locations. A prototype will be designed and built at UOIT, and tested with artificial sunlight under controlled conditions. Since the hydrogen can be converted to electricity via fuel cells, this technology would also be eligible for the Standard Offer Program in Ontario, to supply electricity to the grid.