10
Nanotube Array Photoelectrochemical
Hydrogen Production--Synkera
Technologies Inc., 2021 Miller Drive, Suite B, Longmont, CO 80501; 720‑494‑8401; www.synkera.com
Dr. Rikard
Wind, Principal Investigator, rwind@synkera.com
Dr. Stephen Williams, Business Official, swilliams@synkera.com
DOE Grant No. DE‑FG02‑07ER84871
Amount:
$750,000
The
absence of a practical method for the production of pure hydrogen fuel keeps the potential
of a hydrogen economy from being attained.
What is perhaps the most-promising future source of hydrogen fuel –
water-splitting via sunlight, or photoelectrochemical
(PEC) hydrogen production – is currently rendered impractical by a number of
technical and economic drawbacks related to materials properties. This project will develop novel nano-materials that will address the materials problems
associated with photoelectrochemical hydrogen
production. In particular, the approach
will be based on a unique, three-dimensional, nanostructured
architecture that will enable the attainment of the DOE targets for band gap,
lifetime, and chemical conversion. In
Phase I, nanotube arrays of PEC materials were fabricated
and tested for photoelectrochemical hydrogen
production. The feasibility of the nanostructured architecture was demonstrated. In Phase II, the nanostructured
architecture will be optimized using the materials developed in Phase I. Once the structure is optimized, new
materials will be explored in order to produce highly efficient PEC
prototypes. Finally, a stand alone
system for distributed hydrogen production will be designed.
Commercial Applications and Other
Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should eliminate one of
the major hurdles that keeps the