Simultaneous production of hydrogen and oxygen from water
AssigneeEngelhard Corporation
InventorsMichael Gratzel, John Kiwi, Kuppuswamy Kalyanasundaram, John Philp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for the simultaneous production of hydrogen and oxygen from water by the visible light irradiation of a water solution containing photosensitizer, an electron relay and a suitable combination of redox catalysts.
Claims30
A unitary method for simultaneous production of hydrogen and oxygen from water by photolytic means in the absence of extraneous sacrificial electron donors or electron acceptors which comprises irradiating an aqueous mixture containing a photosensitizer and an electron relay with visible light, one of said photosensitizer and said electron relay functioning as an electron donor and the other as an electron acceptor while simultaneously mediating production with a hydrogen-generating catalyst and an oxygen generating catalyst, whereby catalyst-mediated electron transfer among the photosensitizer, electron relay and water produces hydrogen and oxygen and effects cyclic regeneration of said photosensitizer and electron relay.
A photochemical system for simultaneous production of hydrogen and oxygen from water by photolytic means comprising, in combination, an aqueous mixture of a photosensitizer and an electron relay, one of which functions as an electron donor and the other functions as an electron acceptor, a hydrogen generating catalyst, an oxygen generating catalyst, and means for irradiating said aqueous mixture with visible light to initiate electron transfer among said photosensitizer, electron relay and water to obtain the desired products and to effect regeneration of said photosensitizer and electron relay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.