CoP2 Loaded Red Phosphorus Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photocatalytic hydrogen production from water is limited by the narrow absorption of semiconductors and the need for expensive co-catalysts like Pt, which restricts efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A photocatalyst composed of CoP2 loaded red phosphorus, prepared by growing CoP2 from red phosphorus in water and treating it at temperatures ranging from 450° C to 650° C, offering broad visible light absorption and high photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional semiconductors are used as photocatalysts, then the photocatalytic hydrogen production can be achieved, but the absorption range is narrow and the efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses red phosphorus as the core photocatalyst material, which has a band structure that enables broad visible light absorption up to 700 nm. CoP2 is loaded onto the red phosphorus surface as a co-catalyst to enhance the photocatalytic activity and provide suitable conduction band energy for electron transfer to water, creating a composite photocatalyst system that resolves the limitation of narrow absorption range while maintaining high hydrogen production efficiency
2Productivity
If expensive noble metal co-catalysts like Pt are used, then the photocatalytic efficiency is improved, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive noble metal co-catalysts (such as Pt) with cobalt phosphide (CoP2), which is a non-noble metal compound with much lower cost. The CoP2 co-catalyst maintains high photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen production while reducing the material cost by approximately 200 times compared to platinum, making the overall process economically viable
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The CoP2 loaded red phosphorus photocatalyst achieves up to 6 times higher performance in hydrogen production compared to Pt under the same conditions, with a significantly lower cost due to the use of a non-noble metal co-catalyst, and extends the absorption band edge up to 700 nm for visible light-driven hydrogen production.
Implementation Method 1
Solar-induced photocatalytic hydrogen production from water is a clean and renewable source of energy. Under irradiation, photogenerated electrons from a photocatalyst could reduce water to hydrogen.
Implementation Method 2
The absorption band edge of red phosphorus can be up to 700 nm, which can be driven by visible light.
Implementation Method 3
a suitable conduction band energy for transferring photogenerated electrons to water is needed. When used for hydrogen production from water, the performance of CoP2 can be up to 6 times higher compared with the common co-catalyst of Pt
Implementation Method 4
treating the CoP2 loaded red phosphorus at a temperature ranging from 450° C. to 650° C.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a photocatalyst of CoP2 loaded red phosphorus, a preparation method thereof, and a method for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water under visible light irradiation over the photocatalyst of CoP2 loaded red phosphorus.