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

地球表面每小时从太阳获得的能量比世界目前每年的能源消耗量还要多。这种辐射能源有可能成为化石燃料的理想替代品，解决世界各国面临的能源短缺和环境问题。目前，太阳能利用面临的主要挑战是如何以高能效和成本效益的方式将太阳光转化为适当形式的能源，如电力或热能，以及如何储存这种能量。在拟议的研究中，将合成、表征新的纳米复合材料，并在与太阳能电池有效运行的条件兼容的条件下测试其作为光催化剂在太阳能水消毒应用中的有效性。为了优化新型催化剂，将考察各种碱基化合物、掺杂剂和制备参数。将开发和测试不同的光反应器设计，以最大限度地提高这些新系统的效率。还将对新设计的系统中光伏和光催化步骤的耦合进行实验研究，并将其应用于电力和卫生热水的高效生产。该研究项目的预期成果包括创造在阳光下活跃的新型光催化剂，以及开发成本和能源效率高的光反应系统。这些成果将大大有助于解决加拿大人和世界各地人民面临的主要能源和环境问题。此外，这一多学科的研究项目将是HQP培训的理想选择。

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.