PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

An improved, cost-effective catalyst for water-splitting devices

2014-01-08
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Nik Papageorgiou
n.papageorgiou@epfl.ch
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
An improved, cost-effective catalyst for water-splitting devices Solar energy appears to be the only form of renewable that can be exploited at level that matches the world's growing needs. However, it is equally necessary to find efficient ways to store solar energy in order to ensure a consistent energy supply when sunlight is scarce. One of the most efficient ways to achieve this is to use solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and get the energy back by consuming hydrogen in a fuel cell. But collecting solar energy on a large and sustainable scale means that such cells must be made from materials that are cheap, abundant, and have 10% solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency. Publishing in Nature Communications, an EPFL-led team of scientists has found a method to create a high-efficiency, scalable solar water splitting device using cheap materials.

Although one of the best means of sourcing renewable energy, solar systems cannot consistently produce adequate energy since sunlight varies from time to time and place to place. A solution to this problem is a device that can store energy in the form of hydrogen for later use, offering a consistent output over time with very little pollution.

One of the most sustainable methods of producing hydrogen is photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting. Solar energy is used to break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through a process called "hydrogen evolution reaction". This reaction requires a catalyst, which is a chemical agent that increases its speed. In PEC water-splitting devices, a common catalyst used to split water is platinum, which is deposited on the surface of the solar panel's photocathode – the solar panel's electrode that converts light into electric current.

A research team at EPFL has now found a way to make efficient solar-powered water splitting devices using abundant and cheap materials. The group of Xile Hu developed a molybdenum-sulfide catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and the group of Michael Grätzel developed copper(I) oxide as a photocathode. The researchers found that the molybdenum sulfide can be deposited on the copper(I) oxide photocathode for use in PEC water splitting through a simple deposition process that can be easily expanded onto a large scale.

The technique shows comparable efficiency to other hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts like platinum, it preserves the optical transparency for the light-harvesting surface and it shows improved stability under acidic conditions, which could translate into lower maintenance. But more importantly, both the catalyst and the photocathode are made with cheap, earth-abundant materials that could greatly reduce the cost of PEC water-splitting devices in the future. According to senior author Xile Hu, the work represents a state-of-the-art example for solar hydrogen production devices.

### Reference: Morales, Guio CG, David Tilley S, Vrubel H, Grätzel M, Hu X. 2013. Hydrogen evolution from a copper(I) oxide photocathode coated with an amorphous molybdenum sulphide catalyst. Nature Communications, 8 January 2014


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New research: Effects of eating half an avocado with lunch on satiety & desire to eat between meals

2014-01-08
New research: Effects of eating half an avocado with lunch on satiety & desire to eat between meals Loma Linda University study explores the relationship between avocado consumption, satiety and blood sugar IRVINE, Calif. (DATE) – New research published in the ...

LA BioMed study finds daily antibiotics most effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract infection

2014-01-08
LA BioMed study finds daily antibiotics most effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract infection Cranberry pills, estrogen and acupuncture also found to be helpful LOS ANGELES (Jan. 8, 2014) – While ...

Researchers propose alternative way to allocate science funding

2014-01-08
Researchers propose alternative way to allocate science funding Researchers in the United States have suggested an alternative way to allocate science funding. The method, which is described in EMBO reports, depends on a collective distribution of funding by ...

Medicine protects against strokes

2014-01-08
Medicine protects against strokes It is well-known that anticoagulant medicine assists in the prevention of strokes. A large Danish study now shows that the medicine can also reduce the risk of death and brain damage when a stroke happens ...

Seniors moving to HCBS face more hospital risk

2014-01-08
Seniors moving to HCBS face more hospital risk PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Seniors want greater access to home- and community-based long-term care services. Medicaid policymakers have been happy to oblige with new programs to help people move out of expensive ...

Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into the digital age

2014-01-08
Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into the digital age A new method for analysing biological samples based on their chemical makeup is set to transform the way medical scientists examine diseased tissue. When tests are carried out on a patient's tissue ...

Climate change: How does soil store CO2?

2014-01-08
Climate change: How does soil store CO2? Carbon content in soil influences climate models Previous studies have established that carbon binds to tiny mineral particles. In this latest study, published in Nature Communications, researchers have shown ...

COPD: DMP is largely consistent with guidelines

2014-01-08
COPD: DMP is largely consistent with guidelines Current guidelines are more detailed regarding some aspects of treatment On 3 January 2014 the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published the results ...

Study shows 'readability' scores are largely inaccurate

2014-01-08
Study shows 'readability' scores are largely inaccurate Teachers, parents and textbook companies use technical "readability" formulas to determine how difficult reading materials are and to set reading levels by age group. But new research from North Carolina ...

Scientists find a new mechanism underlying depression

2014-01-08
Scientists find a new mechanism underlying depression Hebrew University research could lead to efficient and fast-acting antidepressant drugs The World health Organization calls depression "the leading cause of disability worldwide," causing more years ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

Doubling down on metasurfaces

New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders

Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana

PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation

ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy

How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease

A borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet

Balance between two competing nerve proteins deters symptoms of autism in mice

Use of antifungals in agriculture may increase resistance in an infectious yeast

Awareness grows of cancer risk from alcohol consumption, survey finds

The experts that can outsmart optical illusions

Pregnancy may reduce long COVID risk

[Press-News.org] An improved, cost-effective catalyst for water-splitting devices