Photocatalyst for the production of hydrogen

Abstract

A method and composition for making photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals include semiconductor nanocrystals and inorganic capping agents as photocatalysts. The photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals may be deposited on a substrate and treated to form a photoactive material that may be used in a plurality of photocatalytic energy conversion applications such as water splitting. By combining different semiconductor materials for photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals employed and by changing the semiconductor nanocrystals shapes and sizes, band gaps can be tuned to expand the range of wavelengths of sunlight usable by the photoactive material. The disclosed photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals within the photoactive material may also exhibit a higher efficiency of solar energy conversion process derived from a higher surface area of the semiconductor nanocrystals within photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals available for the absorption of sunlight and enhancement of charge carrier dynamics.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.