Photo-electrocatalysis of formic acid oxidation for hydrogen production

• Grant number: 18/21383-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Henrique Barros de Lima
• Grantee: Felipe Talarico Milana
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/16930-7 - Electrocatalysis V: electrocatalytic processes of chemical and electrical energy interconversion, AP.TEM

Abstract

Photoelectrolytic cells are important alternatives to hydrogen (H2), since they are operated with renewable fuels and with solar energy. H2 production is relevant because it can be used as fuel in fuel cells of the PEMFC type (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell). Photoelectrochemically shaped, the fuel is photo-electro-oxidized without anode and protons (for acid electrolytes) are electro-reduced at the cathode. Formic acid, which can be produced by the electro-reduction of carbon dioxide, is considered a "hydrogen store" and can be used with fuel in the reformers. The pure electrochemical electro-oxidation presented higher activity and stability in palladium-based materials. Photoelectrooxidation can be performed on semi-conductive metal oxides of abundant metals, with tungsten trioxide, WO3, which has been shown to be more stringent. However, there are not many studies on the effect of modifying the absorber with the electrocatalyst. Therefore, in this project, the activities of electrocatalysts based on PdPt nanoparticles and photo-electrocatalysts formed by WO3 nanostructures modified by PdPt for electrooxidation and photo-electrooxidation of formic acid in acid electrolytes will be synthesized and investigated. They will be studied as electrocatalytic and photocatalytic in different forms of atomic and photolytic electrolytic functions in WO3, and compared with the individual activities. In addition, the parameters or characteristics that regulate the stability in times of operation will be tested.