(Press-News.org) A team of researchers, led by Professor Jungki Ryu in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST and Professor Soojin Park from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), have achieved a significant breakthrough in the development of a hybrid silicon photocatalyst. This innovative catalyst utilizes solar power to produce hydrogen and high-value compounds efficiently, marking a major step forward in green hydrogen production technology.
The newly developed photocatalyst is both non-toxic and eco-friendly, addressing the limitations associated with previous catalysts that were not sunlight-responsive or posed toxicity concerns. Silicon-based photocatalysts demonstrate excellent light absorption properties, making them highly efficient in utilizing solar energy. Moreover, these non-toxic materials do not emit harmful chemicals during their production process.
Previous research faced challenges in achieving continuous production of hydrogen alongside high-value compounds due to a lack of suitable catalysts. Toxic catalysts used under strong base conditions often led to environmental pollution issues. Additionally, as oxide layers formed on traditional silicon photocatalysts during reactions, it negatively impacted hydrogen production efficiency over time.
To overcome these obstacles, the research team developed a hybrid silicon photocatalyst by uniformly coating nickel-doped graphene quantum dots onto the surface of 2 to 3 nm thick silicon flakes. The modified surface enabled significantly higher hydrogen production efficiency compared to conventional silicon photocatalysts—achieving an impressive rate of 14.2 mmol gcat−1 h−1—a substantial improvement equating to approximately 28 times higher performance.
Furthermore, through oxidation reactions using biomass instead of water—an organic substance derived from biological sources—the hybrid silicon photocatalyst demonstrated its capability for producing high-value compounds alongside hydrogen production. The catalyst also maintained 98% of its original form, ensuring long-term stability.
Professor Ryu stated, “Previous research on hydrogen production has been limited to photocatalysts that absorb ultraviolet rays or involve toxic catalysts. Our non-toxic and cost-effective silicon photocatalyst is a significant advancement as it enables high-efficiency hydrogen production through superior solar absorption.”
Professor Park added, “The surface modification technique utilizing nickel-doped graphene quantum dots can be applied not only to silicon photocatalysts but also to various other types of photocatalysts, opening up new possibilities in energy applications.”
The study has been jointly participated by Yuri Choi (Research Assistant Professor, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, UNIST) and Sungho Choi (Combined MS/Ph.D. Program of Advanced Materials Science, POSTECH). The findings of this study were published in Advanced Materials on July 27, 2023. This study has been supported by the grants through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea, as well as the Basic Science Research Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Education of Korea.
Journal Reference
Yuri Choi, Sungho Choi, Inhui Lee, Trang Vu Thien Nguyen, et al., “Solar Biomass Reforming and Hydrogen Production with Earth-Abundant Si-Based Photocatalysts,” Advanced Materials, (2023).
END
New Si-based photocatalyst enables efficient solar-driven hydrogen production and biomass refinery
The study findings have been published in the July 2023 version of Advanced Materials
2023-09-20
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Chameleon-inspired coating could cool and warm buildings through the seasons
2023-09-20
As summer turns to fall, many people will be turning off the air conditioning and firing up heaters instead. But traditional heating and cooling systems are energy intensive, and because they typically run on fossil fuels, they aren’t sustainable. Now, by mimicking a desert-dwelling chameleon, a team reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters has developed an energy-efficient, cost-effective coating. The material could keep buildings cool in the summers — or warm in the winters — without additional energy.
Many ...
Effective visual communication of climate change
2023-09-20
Boulder, Colo., USA: The consequences of a warming climate frequently dominated the news this summer, from devastating wildfires and floods to deadly heat waves across the globe. Reducing harm from climate change is a challenging endeavor, and it requires comprehensive public education. Thus, the question arises: How can climate change science be made most accessible to the general population, as well as decision-makers and educators?
In a new paper published in the journal Geosphere, Steph Courtney and Karen McNeal explore the effects ...
Clinical trial of HIV vaccine begins in United States and South Africa
2023-09-20
WHAT:
A trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate has begun enrollment in the United States and South Africa. The Phase 1 trial will evaluate a novel vaccine known as VIR-1388 for its safety and ability to induce an HIV-specific immune response in people. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has provided scientific and financial support throughout the lifecycle of this HIV vaccine concept and is contributing funding for this study.
VIR-1388 is designed to instruct the ...
Five new health systems partner with American Thoracic Society on vaccine initiative
2023-09-20
NEW YORK, NY – Sept. 20, 2023 – As cities brace for a confluence of flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, and RSV infections this fall, the American Thoracic Society announced that five new health systems have partnered with the Society to improve vaccination rates. Grady Health System (Atlanta, GA), Meharry Medical College (Nashville, TN), St. Luke’s Health System (Boise, ID), the University of Colorado (Aurora, CO), and Wayne Health (Detroit, MI) join the University of Arizona/ Banner Health, West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc., and San Francisco Health Network/ University of California to help identify barriers to vaccination and find ...
Mount Sinai receives $6.2 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation for the clinical care of long Lyme disease
2023-09-20
Mount Sinai’s Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance has announced a $6.2 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. The grant will expand the Cohen Center for Recovery From Complex Chronic Illnesses (CoRE) to encompass research and clinical care beyond long COVID to include “long Lyme Disease/Lyme+” as well as other infection-associated complex chronic illnesses.
This funding will be used for new research programs focusing on understanding and highlighting the key similarities and differences between long COVID; long Lyme disease/Lyme+, a collection of infection-associated ...
Citizen Science receives a significant boost
2023-09-20
There is a growing interest in incorporating assistance from private citizens into scientific projects globally. Nonetheless, it seems that Anders P. Tøttrup, an Associate Professor at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, might become the world's first professor in Citizen Science.
Anders P. Tøttrup is a trained biologist and leads the section for Citizen Science projects at the Natural History Museum of Denmark. These projects involve scientific endeavours in which citizens are invited to assist in collecting and analyzing data. Now, the Museum is taking a step further as Anders P. Tøttrup enters a 'professor track.' The goal is ...
Urban light pollution linked to smaller eyes in birds
2023-09-20
PULLMAN, Wash. – The bright lights of big cities could be causing an evolutionary adaptation for smaller eyes in some birds, a new study indicates.
Researchers found that two common songbirds, the Northern Cardinal and Carolina Wren, that live year-round in the urban core of San Antonio, Texas, had eyes about 5% smaller than members of the same species from the less bright outskirts. Researchers found no eye-size difference for two species of migratory birds, the Painted Bunting and White-eyed Vireo, no matter which part of the city ...
Novel organic light-emitting diode with ultralow turn-on voltage for blue emission
2023-09-20
An upconversion organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based on a typical blue-fluorescence emitter achieves emission at an ultralow turn-on voltage of 1.47 V, as demonstrated by researchers from Tokyo Tech. Their technology circumvents the traditional high voltage requirement for blue OLEDs, leading to potential advancements in commercial smartphone and large screen displays.
Blue light is vital for light-emitting devices, lighting applications, as well as smartphone screens and large screen displays. However, it is challenging to develop efficient blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) ...
Canadian older adults with COPD faced high levels of depression during the COVID pandemic
2023-09-20
A new longitudinal study published online in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease found that older adults with COPD had a heightened risk of depression during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers examined a sample of 875 individuals with COPD from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, a national study of Canadian older adults. Using longitudinal data, researchers were able to differentiate between 369 respondents with COPD who had a pre-pandemic history of depression and 506 respondents who had never experienced ...
Targeting Epstein-Barr virus to treat and prevent MS
2023-09-20
Recent evidence strongly implicates infection by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as the trigger for development of multiple sclerosis (MS). An international research team is now gathering to unveil the role of EBV in the onset and progression of the MS disease.
The team has ambitious goals:
“We aim to find out why only a few EBV infected people develop MS, and define the underlying mechanism of this process”, explains the principal investigator (PI), Professor Kjell-Morten Myhr of the University of Bergen.
“Our research will also seek to investigate if targeting the EBV infection with antiviral treatments can improve the disease course or even stop ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Exploring how the visual system recovers following injury
Support for parents with infants at pediatric check-ups leads to better reading and math skills in elementary school
Kids’ behavioral health is a growing share of family health costs
Day & night: Cancer disrupts the brain’s natural rhythm
COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces risk to pregnant women and baby
The role of vaccination in maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 in pregnancy
Mayo Clinic smartwatch system helps parents shorten and defuse children's severe tantrums early
Behavioral health spending spikes to 40% of all children’s health expenditures, nearly doubling in a decade
Digital cognitive behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder
Expenditures for pediatric behavioral health care over time and estimated family financial burden
Air conditioning in nursing homes and mortality during extreme heat
The Alps to lose a record number of glaciers in the next decade
What makes a good proton conductor?
New science reporting guide published for journalists in Bulgaria
New international study reveals major survival gaps among children with cancer
New science reporting guide published for journalists in Turkey
Scientists develop a smarter mRNA therapy that knows which cells to target
Neuroanatomy-informed brain–machine hybrid intelligence for robust acoustic target detection
Eight SwRI hydrogen projects funded by ENERGYWERX
The Lundquist Institute and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences Announces Strategic Advancement of Second-Generation fungal Vaccine VXV-01 through Phase 1 Trials under $40 Million Competitive Con
Fine particles in pollution are associated with early signs of autoimmune disease
Review article | Towards a Global Ground-Based Earth Observatory (GGBEO): Leveraging existing systems and networks
Penn and UMich create world’s smallest programmable, autonomous robots
Cleveland researchers launch first major study to address ‘hidden performance killer’ in athletes
To connect across politics, try saying what you oppose
Modulating key interaction prevents virus from entering cells
Project explores barriers to NHS career progression facing international medical graduates
Jeonbuk National University researchers explore the impact of different seasonings on the flavor perception of Doenjang soup
Two Keck Medicine of USC Hospitals named Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospitals
World-first discovery uncovers how glioblastoma tumours dodge chemotherapy, potentially opening the door to new treatments
[Press-News.org] New Si-based photocatalyst enables efficient solar-driven hydrogen production and biomass refineryThe study findings have been published in the July 2023 version of Advanced Materials