METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPLITTING WATER WITH VISIBLE LIGHT

• US 20130001067A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Boyd, David A.
• Application Number:
  US13/335,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001067A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/157.41
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/127 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0877 Liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0892 involving catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/061 by reaction of metal oxides with water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A method of producing hydrogen includes providing a substrate having a plurality of nanoparticles disposed thereon and providing a source of electromagnetic radiation. The method also includes immersing the plurality of nanoparticles in an aqueous solution and irradiating at least a portion of the substrate having the plurality of nanoparticles disposed thereon with electromagnetic radiation. The method further includes exciting a plasmon resonance in the plurality of nanoparticles and converting a portion of the aqueous solution to hydrogen.

Claims

1. A method of producing hydrogen, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of nanoparticles disposed thereon;

providing a source of electromagnetic radiation;

immersing the plurality of nanoparticles in an aqueous solution;

irradiating at least a portion of the substrate having the plurality of nanoparticles disposed thereon with electromagnetic radiation;

exciting a plasmon resonance in the plurality of nanoparticles; and

converting a portion of the aqueous solution to hydrogen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a metal oxide.

3. The method of claim 2 where the metal oxide comprises ceria.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of nanoparticles comprise metal nanoparticles.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the metal comprises gold.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate further comprises at least one of glass or quartz.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein immersing the plurality of nanoparticles comprises flowing the aqueous solution in a microchannel adjacent to the plurality of nanoparticles.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a laser.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic radiation is characterized by a wavelength between 200 nm and 20 μ

m.

10. A method of producing hydrogen, the method comprising:

providing a metal oxide material and a plurality of metal nanoparticles;

providing a source of electromagnetic radiation;

exposing the metal oxide material and the plurality of metal nanoparticles to a source of hydrogen;

irradiating at least a portion of the metal oxide material and the plurality of metal nanoparticles with the electromagnetic radiation;

exciting a plasmon resonance in the plurality of metal nanoparticles; and

producing hydrogen from the source of hydrogen.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of metal nanoparticles are coupled to the metal oxide material.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the source of hydrogen comprises an aqueous solution in fluid communication with the metal oxide material and the plurality of metal nanoparticles.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the aqueous solution comprises an electrolyte.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the source of hydrogen comprises water vapor.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the metal oxide material comprises ceria disposed on a substrate.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the metal oxide material comprises ceria in powder form.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise gold nanoparticles.

18. A structure for use in hydrogen production, the structure comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of nanoparticles disposed thereon;

an aqueous solution in fluid communication with the substrate;

a source of electromagnetic radiation;

an optical system directing the electromagnetic radiation to impinge on the substrate;

a plasmon absorption region of the substrate operable to absorb electrons from the solution; and

a reaction region of the substrate operable to produce hydrogen.

19. The structure of claim 18 wherein the nanoparticles comprise metal nanoparticles having a dimension of about 0.5 nm to about 500 nm.

20. The structure of claim 19 wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise gold.

21. The structure of claim 18 wherein the substrate comprises a metal oxide.

22. The structure of claim 21 wherein the metal oxide comprises ceria.

23. The structure of claim 18 wherein the aqueous solution comprises an electrolyte.

24. The structure of claim 18 further comprising a microfluidic channel containing the aqueous solution in fluid communication with the substrate.