New Technique for Turning Sunlight into Hydrogen

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://news.unist.ac.kr/10662/

[font face=Serif][font size=5]New Technique for Turning Sunlight into Hydrogen[/font]
[font size=4]New photoelectrode that boosts the ability of solar water-splitting to produce hydrogen.[/font]

Feb 01, 2016 | Joo Hyeon Heo | Public Relations Team

[font size=3]A team of Korean researchers, affiliated with UNIST has recently pioneered in developing a new type of multilayered (Au NPs/TiO₂/Au) photoelectrode that boosts the ability of solar water-splitting to produce hydrogen. According to the research team, this special photoelectrode, inspired by the way plants convert sunlight into energy is capable of absorbing visible light from the sun, and then using it to split water molecules (H₂O) into hydrogen and oxygen.

…

This multilayered photoelectrode takes the form of two-dimensional hybrid metal-dielectric structure, which mainly consists of three layers of gold (Au) film, ultrathin TiO₂ layer (20 nm), and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). In a study, reported in the January 21, 2016 issue of Nano Energy, the team reported that this promising photoelectrode shows high light absorption of about 90% in the visible range 380–700 nm, as well as significant enhancement in photo-catalytic applications.

…

Prof. Heon Lee (Korean University) states, “This metal-dielectric hybrid-structured film is expected to further reduce the overall cost of producing hydrogen, as it doesn’t require complex operation processes.” He continues by saying, “Using nanoimprint lithography, mass production of hydrogen will be soon possible.”

Prof. Baik adds, “This simple system may serve as an efficient platform for solar energy conversion, utilizing the whole UV-visible range of solar spectrum based on two-dimensional plasmonic photoelectrodes.”

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[CentralMass]

1. Thanks for posting this. It sounds very promising.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. You‘re Welcome

It does sound promising…

[SheilaT]

3. It uses sunlight.

There's no hydrogen in sunlight, it's in the water. Yes, the sun itself is about 70% hydrogen, but we're not capturing that.

Careless headline, and I know you simply copied what was already there.

But that's exactly the sort of careless reading and repeating of stuff that's everywhere.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. I really didn’t think anyone would misunderstand

The Sub-head makes it quite clear. “New photoelectrode that boosts the ability of solar water-splitting to produce hydrogen.”

However, adding to possible confusion is the Korean source (i.e. possible difficulties in translation.)

[SheilaT]

5. Well, to anyone that understands that sunlight

doesn't contain hydrogen, it's simply incorrect. Sort of like "If we're descended from monkeys then why are there still monkeys?" We aren't descended from monkeys, we have a common ancestor. Or like referring to the far side of the moon as the dark side, when it gets just as much sunlight as the near side.

You may well be right that it was a poor translation, but still.

I know, I'm a stickler for details.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. You, know… I’m a stickler for details, yet it didn’t bother me at all

Perhaps because using solar energy to produce hydrogen (from water) is a frequent topic in this group.