Development of composite electrodes for hydrogen generation from photovoltaic energy through aqueous electrolysis in neutral medium

• Grant number: 23/04842-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Electrical Materials
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Lataro Paim
• Grantee: Isadora dos Santos Pires Soares
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia e Ciências (FEC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rosana. Rosana , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hybrid systems for obtaining hydrogen from photovoltaic electrolysis (PV-EL) are clean but economically unfeasible. Therefore, there is a need to develop new materials for photovoltaic panels and electrolysis cell electrodes. Furthermore, to satisfy the requirement to develop environmentally friendly devices, the electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction must achieve excellent activities and long-term stability, which can operate in a wide range of pH values. The current project aims to develop carbon-based composite electrodes based on iron oxide anchored in graphene and carbon nanotubes for hydrogen generation from aqueous electrolysis in a neutral medium using photovoltaic energy. First, Fe3O4 nanoparticles (FeNPs) will be synthesized by precipitation in ammonia solution, then mixed with graphene oxide and FMWCNTs. Next, the electrodes will be prepared by drop-casting using mixtures with different proportions of FeNPs, OG, and FMWCNTs in copper substrates. The modified electrodes will be characterized by SEM-FEG, EDS, TG, DSC, FTIR, Raman, and electrochemical techniques such as EIS, chronoamperometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Finally, the electrodes will be evaluated for their performance in generating hydrogen in a hybrid system, using a photovoltaic panel as a current source for electrolysis in a neutral medium.