Artificial Photosynthetic System Using Photocatalyst
AssigneeSunpower Technologies LLC
InventorDaniel Landry
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Abstract
A photosynthetic system for splitting water to produce hydrogen and using the produced hydrogen for the reduction of carbon dioxide into methane is disclosed. The disclosed photosynthetic system employs photoactive materials that include photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals within their composition, in order to harvest sunlight and obtain the energy necessary for water splitting and subsequent carbon dioxide reduction processes. The photosynthetic system may also include elements necessary to transfer water produced in the carbon dioxide reduction process, for subsequent use in water splitting process. The systems may also include elements necessary to store oxygen and collect and transfer methane, for subsequent transformation of methane into energy.
Claims28
A photosynthetic system comprising a photoactive material comprising photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals, wherein methane and water are produced by a carbon dioxide reduction process in the presence of hydrogen.
A photosynthetic method comprising:
- passing water from a first reaction vessel through a region having a first photoactive material, wherein the first photoactive material has semiconductor nanocrystals;
- exposing the first photoactive material to emitted light having energy greater than that of the band gap of semiconductor nanocrystals within the first photoactive material;
- migrating hydrogen and oxygen through an opening into a gas collecting chamber comprising a permeable membrane that transfers hydrogen to a second reaction vessel;
- passing the hydrogen and carbon dioxide through a second photoactive material having semicondutor nanycrystals prior to entering a second reaction vessel;
- injecting carbon dioxide into the second reaction vessel;
- and
- exposing the second photoactive material to emitted light with energy higher than that of the band gap of semiconductor nanocrystals with the second photoactive material.
A photosynthetic system comprising:
- a first photoactive material comprising photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals;
- and
- a second photoactive material comprising photocatalytic capped colloidal nanocrystals,
- wherein methane and water are produced by a carbon dioxide reduction process in the presence of hydrogen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.