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US 7,338,590 B1Granted
Water-splitting using photocatalytic porphyrin-nanotube composite devices
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsJohn A. Shelnutt, James E. Miller, Zhongchun Wang, Craig J. Medforth
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Abstract
A method for generating hydrogen by photocatalytic decomposition of water using porphyrin nanotube composites. In some embodiments, both hydrogen and oxygen are generated by photocatalytic decomposition of water.
Claims27
A method for generating hydrogen, the method comprising:
- illuminating a porphyrin nanotube composite with light having a wavelength that is absorbed by a porphyrin nanotube of the porphyrin nanotube composite to generate a plurality of free electrons;
- and
- reducing at least one hydrogen ion at a reduction catalyst, the reduction catalyst being affixed to the porphyrin nanotube, the step of reducing using the free electrons generated by illuminating the porphyrin nanotube.
A method for generating hydrogen, the method comprising:
- illuminating a porphyrin nanotube composite comprising a porphyrin nanotube with light having a wavelength that is absorbed by the porphyrin nanotube to generate a plurality of free electrons;
- reducing at least one hydrogen ion at a reduction catalyst, the reduction catalyst being affixed to the porphyrin nanotube, using the free electrons generated by illuminating the porphyrin nanotube;
- and
- oxidizing at least one water at an oxidation catalyst, the oxidation catalyst being electrically connected to the porphyrin nanotube composite to provide a current path between the oxidation catalyst and the reduction catalyst.
1 more element
A method for generating hydrogen, the method comprising:
- illuminating a porphyrin nanotube composite with light, the porphyrin nanotube composite comprising a porphyrin nanotube and a reduction catalyst affixed to a surface of the porphyrin nanotube, the porphyrin nanotube having an outer surface and a hollow interior with an inner surface and the light having a wavelength that is absorbed by the porphyrin nanotube to generate a plurality of free electrons;
- and
- reducing at least one hydrogen ion at the reduction catalyst using the free electrons generated by illuminating the porphyrin nanotube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.