Development of catalyst and reactor systems for the high efficiency conversion of sunlight to electricity and sanitary hot water

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Every hour the Earth's surface receives more energy from the sun than the world's current annual energy consumption. This radiative energy can potentially become the ideal alternative to fossil fuels and a solution to the energy shortage and environmental problems facing all countries in the world. Currently, the major challenge for solar energy utilization is the energy-efficient and cost-effective conversion of sunlight to appropriate forms of energy such as electricity or heat, as well as the storage of that energy. In the proposed research, new nano-composites will be synthesized, characterized, and their usefulness as photocatalysts in solar-powered water disinfection applications will be tested under conditions compatible with the efficient operation of solar cells. A variety of base compounds, doping agents, and preparation parameters will be examined in order to optimize the novel catalysts. Different photoreactor designs will be developed and tested to maximize the efficiency of these new systems. The coupling of photovoltaic and photocatalytic steps in a newly designed system will also be experimentally studied and applied to the high efficiency production of electricity and sanitary hot water. The expected outcomes of the research project include the creation of new photocatalysts that are active under sunlight, and the development of a cost- and energy- efficient photoreactor system. These results will significantly contribute to the solution of key energy and environmental problems facing Canadians and people around the world. In addition, this multi-disciplinary research project will be ideal for the training of HQP.