Solar-Powered Device Produces Purified Water & Hydrogen Fuel

A new floating device that converts contaminated water and seawater into clean energy and purified water is the latest invention of a team of researchers from the University of Cambridge led by Prof. Erwin Reisner.

This device, which took inspiration from photosynthesis, is a follow-up to earlier models of the artificial leaf. Unlike the previous versions that transform clean water into hydrogen fuel, the latest design operates in polluted or seawater sources.

Dr. Chanon Pornrungroj, a researcher at Cambridge's Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry and the co-lead author of the paper, emphasized the challenges involved in creating a single device for both solar fuel production and water purification:

"Solar-driven water splitting, where water molecules are broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, need to start with totally pure water because any contaminants can poison the catalyst or cause unwanted chemical side-reactions."

The team, including researcher Mohamad Annuar, created a design that produces hydrogen using the water vapor generated by the photocatalyst deposited on a nanostructured carbon mesh. The water-repelling porous carbon mesh keeps the photocatalyst afloat and separates it from the water below.

They also placed a layer of white UV-absorbing material on the surface of the floating device. This layer allows the device to produce hydrogen through water splitting, as the remaining solar energy enables water vaporization underneath.

Pornrungroj added that their device is highly versatile, operating on various water sources, including murky water.

Read the full article here to learn more about the promising solar-powered device.

Explore Aqua Solutions for affordable laboratory water purification systems, ensuring your laboratory obtains the utmost purity in reagent-grade water. Browse our extensive product range at https://www.aquaa.com/ to find the ideal solution.