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Nanomaterials for Hydrogen Generation from Solar Water Splitting

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Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy

Part of the book series: NanoScience and Technology ((NANO))

Abstract

Hydrogen generation from solar water splitting has the potential to solve both environmental issues and energy crisis. This chapter begins with the discussion of the basic mechanism of photocatalytic water splitting and fundamental material requirements for particular photocatalysts. TiO2 and alkali metal titanates are first introduced as traditional UV active photocatalysts, followed by Nb2O5, Ta2O5 and their alkali metal oxides. Metal chalcogenides and oxysulfides, nitrides and oxynitrides are then presented as lower bandgap photocatalysts than the corresponding oxides. Cu2O and cobalt oxide nanoparticles are among very few binary oxides that can perform overall water splitting without co-catalysts under visible light. We will then show other newly developed visible light photocatalysts, namely, graphene oxide quantum dots, graphitic C3N4 nanostructures, and carbon-doped boron nitride nanosheets. Plasmonic nanomaterials are included as a special type of photocatalyst. The chapter concludes with discussions on current material issues, challenges and outlook for future photocatalyst development.

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Acknowledgments

Jiming Bao acknowledges support from the Robert A Welch Foundation (E-1728). Zhiming Wang acknowledges financial support from 111 project (No. B13042). Zhenhuan Zhao acknowledges the financial support from National Science Foundation for Post-doctoral Scientists of China (2015M582538).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China

    Zhenhuan Zhao, Zhiming Wang & Jiming Bao

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Zhenhuan Zhao & Jiming Bao

  3. State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China

    Zhiming Wang

Authors
  1. Zhenhuan Zhao
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  2. Zhiming Wang
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  3. Jiming Bao
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Correspondence to Zhiming Wang or Jiming Bao .

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  1. Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Prog, Kent State Univ, Liquid Crystal Inst, Kent, Ohio, USA

    Quan Li

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Zhao, Z., Wang, Z., Bao, J. (2016). Nanomaterials for Hydrogen Generation from Solar Water Splitting. In: Li, Q. (eds) Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy. NanoScience and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32023-6_12

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