Katsuya Shimura

Heterogeneous photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and biomass derivatives

Hydrogen, a clean energy carrier, should be produced from not the irreproducible fossil fuels but renewable resources. Currently hydrogen is mainly produced by the reforming of petroleum and natural gas at high temperature, which consumes huge energy. Thus, development of an alternative hydrogen production method is absolutely imperative to mitigate the environmental and energy issues. Photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and renewable resources is one of the attractive systems, since it can utilize the solar energy. In this short review, we remind you that the systems of the photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and biomass derivatives, such as ethanol, glycerol, sugars and methane, should be considered as available candidates for the hydrogen production method from renewable resources and solar energy, and these systems have been improved by developments of new photocatalysts with some cocatalysts, modifications of photocatalysts, optimization of reaction conditions, and so on.

Hydrogen production from water and methane over Pt-loaded calcium titanate photocatalyst

Pt/CaTiO3 photocatalysts exhibited a higher production rate of hydrogen in a flowing mixture of water vapour and methane than that in a flow of water vapour only, since both photocatalytic steam reforming of methane and photocatalytic water decomposition simultaneously proceeded.

Simultaneously photodeposited rhodium metal and oxide nanoparticles promoting photocatalytic hydrogen production

Photodeposition of a Rh cocatalyst under atmospheric conditions could simultaneously provide both Rh metal and oxide nanoparticles on a K(2)Ti(6)O(13) photocatalyst, both of which cooperatively promoted the photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and methane.

Preparation of calcium titanate photocatalysts for hydrogen production

Abstract Various CaTiO3 samples having different particle sizes, shapes, crystal defects and impurity phases were prepared by three methods, i.e., co-precipitation, homogeneous precipitation and solid-state reaction methods. The CaTiO3 samples were loaded with Pt co-catalyst (0.1xa0wt%) and examined for both the photocatalytic water decomposition (WD) and the photocatalytic steam reforming of methane (PSRM). The highest activities for the WD and the PSRM were obtained over the samples prepared by the solid-state reaction method from rutile and anatase TiO2, respectively. The controlling factors in their activity were discussed.

CHAPTER 8:Hydrogen Production from Biomass Derivatives over Heterogeneous Photocatalysts

The utilisation of clean alternative energy has attracted much attention recently due to the depletion of fossil fuel, the increase in energy demand and growing concern about environmental pollution. Hydrogen is an attractive energy carrier with its potentially higher energy efficiency and pollutant-free emission. However, the present hydrogen fuel cannot truly be regarded as environmentally benign since almost all of it is produced from fossil resources. Hydrogen production from renewable resources and natural energy is necessary for the realisation of a sustainable society. Photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and biomass derivatives such as ethanol, glycerol, sugars and methane is an attractive hydrogen production method as hydrogen can be produced using solar energy and renewable resources. Since the early 1980s, various photocatalytic hydrogen production systems from water and biomass derivatives have been studied for the efficient hydrogen evolution through the development of various kinds of photocatalysts and co-catalysts, modification of these photocatalysts, control of photocatalyst morphology, optimisation of reaction condition, etc. This chapter introduced recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen production from water and biomass derivatives.