Development of water splitting photocatalysts for efficient sunlight utilization

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K06862
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Catalyst/Resource chemical process
• Research Institution: Shinshu University (2018); The University of Tokyo (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Takata Tsuyoshi 信州大学, 先鋭領域融合研究群環境・エネルギー材料科学研究所, 特任教授 (80334499)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 光触媒 / 水分解 / 太陽光 / 水素製造 / 助触媒 / 半導体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, photocatalytic water splitting system to efficiently utilize solar energy has been studied. The first approach is to enhance quantum efficiency of water splitting photocatalysts developed previously to un upper limit level. In fact, one of the wide-gap oxide photocatalyst has been upgraded to enable near 100% quantum efficiency in water splitting. Another target was to perform overall water splitting on some photocatalysts with narrow bandgap while this target was not sufficiently achieved. A photocatalytic reactor to produce solar hydrogen was newly designed. Quite novel, simple and compact structure was created, which is easily extensible to practical application.

Free Research Field

光触媒

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

光触媒自身の開発においては、バンドギャップが大きく紫外光しか利用できないが、その範囲では上限レベルまで反応効率を上げることができた。水分解反応はその素過程の中で酸素生成が4電子反応あるために困難と考えられている。そのような反応において量子収率をほぼ100％に向上させ、そのために必要な触媒の構造と機能を明らかにしたことは当該研究者間でも関心の高い結果となる。