Novel Photocatalysts and Associated Reactor Systems for Efficient Water & Air Decomtamination as well as Renewable Energy Production from Sunlight

地球表面每小时从太阳接收的能量比目前世界每年消耗的能量还要多。这种辐射能有可能成为化石燃料的理想替代品，并解决世界各国面临的能源短缺和环境问题。目前，利用太阳能的主要挑战是将太阳光转化为适当形式的能源，例如电或热，以及储存这种能源的效率和成本效益。在拟议的研究中，新的纳米复合材料将被合成、表征，并将在与太阳能电池高效运行相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实用性。各种碱化合物、掺杂剂和制备参数将被检查，以优化新型催化剂。不同的光反应器设计将被开发和测试，以最大限度地提高这些新系统的效率。还将实验研究新设计系统中光电和光催化步骤的耦合，并将其应用于高效生产电力和卫生热水。该研究项目的预期成果包括创造在阳光下具有活性的新型光催化剂，以及开发成本和能源效率高的光反应器系统。这些结果将显著有助于解决加拿大和世界各地人民面临的关键能源和环境问题。此外，这个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 outcome 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.