Novel Redox Materials for Hydrogen Generation by High Temperature Water Splitting

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, Rapid City SD

Investigators

Abstract

CBET-0756214 Puszynski World oil and other fossil reserves are rather quickly depleting due to growing demands from industrialized and developing countries. Therefore, future energy demands must be fulfilled by sustainable energy resources. The Sun provides several thousand times greater energy than the world?s present rate of energy consumption. Harnessing solar radiation and its effective conversion to hydrogen energy carrier from abundant source such as water will easily meet the current and future global energy requirements. Hydrogen is one of the most promising fuels because it is very environmentally friendly gas which once combusted generates water as a product. There are several technologies currently available for hydrogen production. Although electrolysis of water can still be a preferred option, solar thermochemical technology is also gaining significant importance due to potentially lower capital investment requirements. In thermochemical process, water is heated using a solar concentrator and steam thus produced is made to pass over a catalytically active bed of complex inorganic oxide materials in a reactor which splits water readily releasing hydrogen and retaining oxygen in a solid phase. However, this process requires significantly different temperatures for the hydrogen generation and catalyst regeneration steps. Thus, successful implementation of this process is still at trade-off with other technologies. Direct water splitting is by far more challenging since the thermal dissociation of water requires very high temperatures (>2200oC) and the separation of generated oxygen from hydrogen is very challenging at these conditions. The goal of this research is to synthesize novel redox materials (e.g. ferrites) preferably in the form of foam-like materials using sol-gel and self-propagating high temperature synthesis methods coupled with microwave processing. These materials will have very high surface area and complex crystalline structure that will significantly increase the effectiveness of the water-splitting process. The proposed research will provide fundamental understanding of the hydrogen generation from water and mechanistic aspects of the ionic transport processes occurring in the complex crystalline redox materials. The research activities will focus on the determination of the efficiency of water splitting process using novel redox materials in a tubular reactor. After successful completion of the proposed research work, we will be equipped to generate hydrogen on a larger scale in a continuous manner utilizing solar energy as a heating source. The proposed research activity will have significant impact on students, scientific community, and energy industries. This project will provide training to graduate and undergraduate students in the area of alternative and sustainable energy supply. Additionally, PI and Co-PI will incorporate their interesting research findings into undergraduate and graduate education. During the proposed research period, investigators will enhance outreach activity by providing presentations and hands-on experience with alternative energy sources to Native Americans and high school students and K-12 teachers. Thus, major impacts of this research will include the technology advancements that move us towards alternative energy sources, the development of human resources in science and engineering, and integration of teaching and research.