Nanocrystalline Water Splitting Photodiodes II; Device Engineering, Integration and Scale-up

目标研究方案的目标细分如下。该项目的主要目标是提供廉价、放大、高效(太阳能转换效率为7%；量子产率为30%)、可见光吸收的纳米晶体半导体光催化二极管演示器，用于分布式燃料生产和家庭安装。这将通过以下目标实现：*制造测试半导体光化学二极管，并评估和优化其性能*利用新的和更成熟的路线来生产高活性、可见光吸收、纳米颗粒半导体金属氧化物光催化剂*合成、沉积和表征新型金属和金属氧化物纳米催化剂，并将其放置在光催化剂载体的水氧化一侧。*将最有希望的光催化剂纳米粉末(通过中试工厂生产)或商业半导体粉末转化为涂料。*评估用于减水和氧化的功能梯度光电二极管的能力*利用光、溶胶凝胶、热、冷气体喷涂、溅射或相关沉积技术，将已知催化剂(例如铂或镍)的纳米颗粒覆盖在光触媒薄膜的水还原面(用于生产氢气)。*通过仔细控制接口来优化器件的性能*开发光化学器件的工程模型，以便根据机械、热学、流体力学和电荷(电子和离子)考虑因素做出设计决策。*进行应用可行性评估，包括研究如何将光催化二极管演示器与家庭使用的燃料电池装置集成在一起，以提供恒定或间歇的电力，以及如何与太阳能热水和热电联产装置一起运行。*测试与燃料电池、氢气储存和模拟国内电力需求相结合的设备，以开发和完善控制和操作方法，并审查物理集成，以解决水和热管理问题。*为不同的应用和系统配置开发一个系统模型，以确定机组的规模和优化运行。*在实际的家庭分布式能源生产、储存和使用环境中测试工作样机。*对设备和系统进行生命周期评估，并进行技术经济(导致成本模型)分析，以便在这一阶段结束时为商业化和投资战略提供信息。

Objectives The objectives of the research programme have been broken down as follows. The primary objective of this project is to deliver inexpensive, scaled-up, efficient (> 7% solar energy conversion efficiencies; quantum yields > 30%), visible-light absorbing nanocrystalline semiconductor photocatalyst diode demonstrators for distributed fuel production and utlilisation via household installations. This will be achieved by the following objectives: * To create test semiconductor photochemical diodes and assess and optimise their performance * To utilise novel and more established routes to produce highly active, visible light absorbing, nanoparticulate semiconductor metal oxide photocatalysts * To synthesise, deposit and characterise novel metal and metal oxide nano-catalysts onto the water oxidation side of the photocatalyst supports. * To convert the most promising photocatalyst nanopowders (made via pilot plant CHFS) or commercial semiconductor powders into coatings. * To assess the ability of the functionally graded photodiodes for water reduction and oxidation * To coat nanoparticles of known catalysts (e.g. Pt or Ni) onto the water reduction side (for hydrogen gas production) of the photocatalyst films using photo, sol gel, thermal, cold gas spray, sputtering or related deposition techniques. * To optimise the performance of the devices through careful control of the interfaces * To develop an engineering model of the photochemical device in order to inform design decisions based on mechanical, thermal, hydrodynamic and charge (electronic and ionic) considerations. * To perform an applications feasibility assessment, including investigation into how photocatalyst diode demonstrators can be integrated with working fuel cell devices for household use, to provide constant or intermittent power as well how to operate in conjunction with solar water heating and combined heat and power (CHP) devices. * To test a device in combination with a fuel cell, hydrogen storage and simulated domestic power demand to develop and refine control and operational methodologies and examine physical integration to address water and thermal management. * To develop a system model for the sizing of units and operational optimisation for different applications and system configurations. * To test the working prototype in an actual domestic, distributed energy production, storage and usage environment. * To perform a life-cycle assessment of the device and system as well as a techno-economic (leading to cost model) analysis to inform commercialisation and investment strategies at the end of this phase.