i heard some where with photocatalytic water splitting . there are two advantages .one is converting the incident photon to current and second one is hydrogen evolution .can you explain how you can save the energy ?
H2 is currently produced commercially by a fairly energy intensive process called steam methane reforming (SMR). If you can efficiently split H2O into H2 and O2 you will produce 2 valuable products that both save energy. The H2 produced can back out H2 produced via SMR and the O2 produce can be use to enrich combustion air to make furnaces more efficient. The process competes with other photovoltaic processes that produce electricity - not necessarily mutually exclusive but competing for some of the same resources.
Photocatalytic water splitting is a process used for the dissociation of water into its constituent parts, hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), using either UV or visible light . The process needs photons(artificial or natural light), water, and a catalyst(usually semiconductor or modified semiconductor such as TiO2 ,ZnO etc.).
This technology has a great potential for low-cost, environmentally friendly solar-hydrogen production to support the future hydrogen economy due to the simplicity of using a catalyst powder in solution and sunlight to . This process has a great potential as a promising technology capable of providing low-cost, large-scale fuel production , renewable and environmentally friendly solar-hydrogen energy without pollutant byproducts .