NANOWIRE-NANOPARTICLE CONJUGATE PHOTOLYTIC FUEL GENERATORS

• US 20120205251A1
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of Oklahoma State University
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of Oklahoma State University
• Inventors: Kalkan, Ali Kaan
• Granted Patent: US 9,067,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/340
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/6482 Vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/682 with vanadium, niobium, tantalum or polonium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/23 in a colloidal state
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/39 Photocatalytic properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/393 Metal or metal oxide crystallite size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/036 to form a gel or a cogel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/042 Decomposition of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/55 Photoelectrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A method for generating hydrogen is disclosed. The method includes substantially submersing nanowires having metallic nanoparticles into water, exposing the water submerged nanowires to light, and collecting hydrogen gas produced by photolysis from the exposure to light.

Claims

1. A method of generating hydrogen comprising:

substantially submersing nanowires having metallic nanoparticles into water;

exposing the water submerged nanowires to light; and

collecting hydrogen gas produced by photolysis from the exposure to light.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanowires comprise vanadium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise gold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise silver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise copper.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise platinum.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing semiconductor nanowires by supercritical drying of vanadia gel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the nanowires comprise a semiconductor.

9. A system for production of hydrogen gas via hydrolysis comprising:

a plurality of nanowires;

metallic nanoparticles decorating the nanowires; and

a water-based medium surrounding the nanowires;

wherein the metallic nanoparticle decorated nanowires in the surrounding water-based medium are exposed to light resulting in nanoparticle mediated coupling of light into waveguide modes in the nanowires creating electron/hole pairs;

wherein the holes split water molecules into oxygen molecules and hydrogen ions; and

wherein the electrons are captured by the metallic nanoparticles and transported to hydrogen ions reducing them to hydrogen gas.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the nanowires comprise semiconductor nanowires.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the nanowires comprise vanadium.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise gold.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise silver.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise copper.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise platinum.

16. A method of generating hydrogen from water by photolysis comprising:

preparing a plurality of semiconductor nanowires decorated with noble metallic nanoparticles functioning as near field concentrators enhancing the absorption of light in the nanowires;

immersing the plurality of nanowires in a water solution;

exposing the solution to light thereby creating electron/hole pairs in the nanowires, which splits the water molecules and reduces resultant hydrogen ions into hydrogen gas.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein preparing a plurality of semiconductor nanowires further comprises supercritical drying of vanadia gel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein preparing a plurality of semiconductor nanowires further comprises immersing the nanowires into a metallic salt solution.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein exposing the solution to light further comprises exposing the solution to solar radiation.