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EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT OF CATALYSTS FOR PHOTOELECTROCATALYSIS (GENERATION OF H2 AND O2 FROM WATER HYDROLYSIS) AND PHOTOCATALYSIS (SYNTHESIS OF METAL NANOPARTICLES WITH BIOCIDAL ACTIVITY AND FOOD CONSERVATION)
PATENT APPLICATION
Currently, the need to generate clean energy from renewable energies is increasing. One of the sources is the generation of H2 from the hydrolysis of water. To date, the manufacture of new metal oxides in a metal-organic matrix capable of producing hydrogen has not been described or suggested, nor improved hydrogen production with respect to methane reforming, which also has the drawback of leaving a significant carbon footprint. It is desirable to provide clean energy to combat climate change through the generation of H2 capable of producing hydrogen with lower reaction activation energy and at the same time leaving no carbon footprint. H2 has application, for example, as fuel for the generation of electricity in a fuel cell, a very promising solution as it is a completely clean and recyclable energy, since its combustion generates H2O as a product of the reaction, which avoids the carbon footprint. Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved electrocatalytic electrode or electrocatalyst for the production of hydrogen, which is low cost and can be manufactured using industrially scalable techniques and whose techniques are also of low cost. Research staff from the Universitat de València and the Universitat Jaume I have developed an invention that refers to a method of chemical synthesis and deposition of mixed oxide layers of Fe (III) and Vanadium (IV and V) that are non-stoichiometric (FeVOx). These coatings are the basis for the development of catalysts that can be applied in photoelectrocatalysis for the generation of H2 and O2 from water hydrolysis (water splitting) as well as in photocatalysis for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles with biocidal activity and sensor of oxygen reactive species. The manufacturing method used is easily scalable and compatible with low-cost continuous roll-to-roll printing techniques.
Applications: The main application of this material is its use as a non-stoichiometric mixed Iron (III) and Vanadium (IV and V) Oxide electrocatalyst (FeVOx) in the form of ultrathin films. This material has shown very promising results for the oxidation of water to O2 (a process necessary for the production of H2) as well as for multifunctional coatings with biocidal activity and capture of ROS for food preservation. Advantages: The main advantage of the invention is the reduction in the cost of the technology for water hydrolysis, by reducing the cost of the material used (FeVOx) as well as the ease of manufacturing/deposition of the catalyst. With this material, very competitive performances are achieved in the water oxidation process. Furthermore, the invention shows photocatalytic properties in the synthesis of nanoparticles on their surface inside polymers for the manufacture of multifunctional coatings for plastic containers with biocidal activity and for the capture of reactive oxygen species that have REDOX properties that cause the decomposition of foods and contaminants present in water and air. The invention presents photocatalytic properties for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles since it can generate in the interior of polymers through ultraviolet light curing.