EES Blog

Highly efficient catalyst for sun-powered hydrogen production

10 Jun 2013

In their Energy & Environmental Science Garcia et al. report a highly efficient catalyst that enables an industrial reaction to produce hydrogen to be carried out at ambient temperature using only the power of sunlight. Hydrogen has generated a great deal of interest as a clean and efficient energy alternative to fossil fuels.

The authors showed that gold nanoparticles supported on TiO₂could efficiently catalyse the water gas shift reaction, which converts carbon monoxide and water from steam reformation of methane into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, using light irradiation. The scientists tested a variety of TiO₂ and CeO₂ catalysts and showed that the TiO₂/Au catalyst produced more than 10,500 µmol hydrogen per gram – more than twice the amount of the next most efficient catalyst.

Read this exciting article today:

Photocatalytic Water Gas Shift using visible or simulated solar light for the efficient, room-temperature hydrogen generation
Francesc Sastre, Marica Oteri, Avelino Corma and Hermenegildo Garcia
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40656C

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Very HOT recent articles in EES

07 Jun 2013

By Rowan Frame, Commissioning Editor.

These articles are HOT as recommended by the referees.

We encourage you to take a look at these two very exciting articles recently published in EES:

Sr- and Mn-doped LaAlO3-δ for Solar Thermochemical H2 and CO Production
Anthony H. McDaniel, Elizabeth C. Miller, Darwin Arifin, Andrea Ambrosini, Eric Coker, Ryan O’Hayre, William Chueh and Jianhua Tong
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE41372A

Hybrid Energy Cell for Self-Powered Water Splitting
Ya Yang, Hulin Zhang, Zong-Hong Lin, Yan Liu, Jun Chen, Ziyin Lin, Yusheng Zhou, C P Wong and Zhonglin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE41485J

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Professor Liao wins the ENI “Renewable and Non-conventional Energy” award

03 Jun 2013

By Rowan Frame, Commissioning Editor.

The ENI “Renewable and Non-conventional Energy” award has been presented ex aequo to Frances Arnold, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry and Bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology, and James Liao, Parson Foundation Professor and head of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of California.

Professor Liao has selected microorganisms for converting wood cellulose biomass, waste proteins and carbon dioxide into useful chemical compounds and fuels using modified forms of E. coli bacteria, achieving high conversion and energy efficiency.

See Prof. Liao’s recent article in EES:

Photosynthetic production of 2-methyl-1-butanol from CO2 in cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and characterization of the native acetohydroxyacid synthase
Claire R. Shen and James C. Liao
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23148D

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Soybean catalyst for hydrogen evolution: EES article in Chemistry World

03 Jun 2013

By Hannah Porter, Publishing Assistant.

A catalyst made from soybeans could overcome a major barrier to cheap hydrogen fuel by replacing the platinum catalyst used in the electrocatalytic production of hydrogen, claim scientists in the US.

For hydrogen to be competitive with petroleum fuels, the US Department of Energy has estimated that its cost must be reduced from $4–5/kg to $2–3/kg. The platinum catalyst used to make hydrogen via water electrolysis is a significant part of the cost, so the search is on for cheaper catalysts that are just as efficient.

Now, James Muckerman, Wei-Fu Chen and colleagues at Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York, have produced a catalyst made from molybdenum – an abundant transition metal, around 1500 times cheaper than platinum – and ground soybeans.

Read the article from EES:

Biomass-derived electrocatalytic composites for hydrogen evolution
Wei-Fu Chen, Shilpa Iyer, Shweta Iyer, Kotaro Sasaki, Chiu-Hui Wang, Yimei Zhu, James T. Muckerman and Etsuko Fujitaa
Energy Environ. Sci., 2013,6, 1818-1826
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40596F

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Recently published HOT articles in Energy & Environmental Science

22 May 2013

By Rowan Frame, Commissioning Editor.

Take a look at these recent EES articles. These articles are HOT as recommended by the referees.

Perspectives and reviews

Challenges of non-aqueous Li–O2 batteries: electrolytes, catalysts, and anodes
Fujun Li, Tao Zhang and Haoshen Zhou
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE00053B, Perspective

Metal–organic frameworks as platforms for clean energy
Shun-Li Li and Qiang Xu
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40507A, Review Article

Original Research

An analysis of the optimal band gaps of light absorbers in integrated tandem photoelectrochemical water-splitting systems
Shu Hu, Chengxiang Xiang, Sophia Haussener, Alan D. Berger and Nathan S. Lewis
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40453F, Paper

Direct conversion of Spirulina to ethanol without pretreatment or enzymatic hydrolysis processes
Shimpei Aikawa, Ancy Joseph, Ryosuke Yamada, Yoshihiro Izumi, Takahiro Yamagishi, Fumio Matsuda, Hiroshi Kawai, Jo-Shu Chang, Tomohisa Hasunuma and Akihiko Kondo
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40305J, Paper

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Energy & Environmental Science Editor’s choice: all-organic and hybrid photovoltaic devices

16 May 2013

By Rowan Frame, Commissioning Editor.

Energy & Environmental Science Advisory Board member Dr Chris McNeill has chosen a selection of excellent articles in the areas of all-organic and hybrid photovoltaics recently published in Energy & Environmental Science. You can read these articles for free for a limited period by clicking on the links below.

Energy & Environmental Science ranked #1 in its field. With an Impact Factor of 9.61, which is rising fast, it the ideal place to publish your research. On behalf of Editor-in-Chief Nate Lewis (Caltech) we invite you to submit your best work to Energy & Environmental Science.

Dr McNeill’s Editor’s Choice:

Analysis Articles

FREE: Effect of synthetic accessibility on the commercial viability of organic photovoltaics
Timothy P. Osedach, Trisha L. Andrew and Vladimir Bulović
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24138F

FREE: Deciphering the uncertainties in life cycle energy and environmental analysis of organic photovoltaics
Dajun Yue, Prasad Khatav, Fengqi You and Seth B. Darling
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22597B

Papers and Communications

FREE: Suppression of geminate charge recombination in organic photovoltaic devices with a cascaded energy heterojunction
Chris Groves
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24455E

FREE: Detection and role of trace impurities in high-performance organic solar cells
Maxim P. Nikiforov, Barry Lai, Wei Chen, Si Chen, Richard D. Schaller, Joseph Strzalka, Jörg Maser and Seth B. Darling
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40556G

FREE: High performance hybrid solar cells sensitized by organolead halide perovskites
Bing Cai, Yedi Xing, Zhou Yang, Wen-Hua Zhang and Jieshan Qiu
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40343B

FREE: IR sensitization of an indene-C60 bisadduct (ICBA) in ternary organic solar cells
Tayebeh Ameri, Thomas Heumüller, Jie Min, Ning Li, Gebhard Matt, Ullrich Scherf and Christoph J. Brabec
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24512H

FREE: Organic solar cells featuring nanobowl structures
Hung-Yu Wei, Jen-Hsien Huang, Chih-Yu Hsu, Feng-Chih Chang, Kuo-Chuan Ho and Chih-Wei Chu
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24128A

FREE: Seamless polymer solar cell module architecture built upon self-aligned alternating interfacial layers
Jongjin Lee, Hyungcheol Back, Jaemin Kong, Hongkyu Kang, Suhee Song, Hongsuk Suh, Sung-Oong Kang and Kwanghee Lee
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24454G

FREE: Correlation of nanoscale organizations of polymer and nanocrystals in polymer/inorganic nanocrystal bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells: insights from multiscale molecular simulations
Cheng-Kuang Lee, Chun-Wei Pao and Chun-Wei Chen
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23372J

FREE: Introduction of a conjugated side chain as an effective approach to improving donor–acceptor photovoltaic polymers
Erjun Zhou, Junzi Cong, Kazuhito Hashimoto and Keisuke Tajima
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23383E

FREE: All printed transparent electrodes through an electrical switching mechanism: A convincing alternative to indium-tin-oxide, silver and vacuum
Thue T. Larsen-Olsen, Roar R. Søndergaard, Kion Norrman, Mikkel Jørgensen and Frederik C. Krebs
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23244H

Take a look at our exciting themed collection on solar energy online.

For more information and news visit our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Greener electronics

09 May 2013

By Rowan Frame, Commissioning Editor.

Hu and co-workers from the USA and China have advanced us towards flexible electronics that are more recyclable, renewable and inexpensive with findings reported in their recent EES communication.

Biodegradable transparent substrates for ﬂexible organic-light-emitting diodes

The group investigated the fundamental properties of cellulose-based biodegradable, transparent substrates. They found interesting differences in mechanical and optical properties between regenerated cellulose film substrates and cellulose-nanopaper substrates, although both were transparent and suitable for printed electronic devices. This was demonstrated using organic-light-emitting diodes on the substrates.

Flexible devices commonly use plastic substrates, which have limited recyclability and are not produced from sustainable sources. The authors hope that their investigation will allow for the replacement of plastic with more sustainable substrates.

Read more detail in the communication here:

Biodegradable transparent substrates for flexible organic-light-emitting diodes
Hongli Zhu, Zhengguo Xiao, Detao Liu, Yuanyuan Li, Nicholas J. Weadock, Zhiqiang Fang, Jinsong Huang and Liangbing Hu
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40492G

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New results challenge understanding of how microbial fuel cells work

01 May 2013

By Heather Montgomery, Deputy Editor.

Parting with ideas previously reported in the literature, Scientists based at Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the USA found that the metabolic activity of a Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilm were higher at the surface of the film due to low porosity, with acetate unable to penetrate further in.

They found, however, that long-range electron transfer was not restricted by electrical resistance through the biofilm.

The results could help researchers optimise the conditions needed for maximum microbial fuel cell performance.

Read this HOT Energy & Environmental Science article today:

Metabolic spatial variability in electrode-respiring Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms
R. S. Renslow, J. T. Babauta, A. C. Dohnalkova, M. I. Boyanov, K. M. Kemner, P. D. Majors, J. K. Fredrickson and H. Beyenal
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40203G

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Large-scale energy storage – a step forward

29 Apr 2013

By Heather Montgomery, Deputy Editor.

Scientists in the US have developed a new lithium/polysulfide (Li/PS) semi-liquid battery for large-scale energy storage, with lithium polysulfide (Li₂S₈) in ether as a catholyte and metallic lithium as an anode.

As the catholyte is designed to cycle only in the range between sulfur and Li₂S₄ it avoids detrimental effects due to the formation and volume expansion of solid Li₂S₂/Li₂S. This proof-of-concept Li/PS battery can reach 170 W h kg^-1 and 190 W h L^-1 at its solubility limit. It achieved an energy density of 108 W h L^-1 and 97 W h kg^-1 based on the mass of the polysulphide catholyte and lithium.

The cost of raw materials in this system was as low as $45 kW h^-1 and $145 kW^-1. Moreover, no expensive ion-selective membrane is needed for this system.

Read the full details of this exciting work today:

A membrane-free lithium/polysulfide semi-liquid battery for large-scale energy storage
Yuan Yang, Guangyuan Zheng and Yi Cui
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE00072A

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Highly efficient catalyst for sun-powered hydrogen production

Very HOT recent articles in EES

Professor Liao wins the ENI “Renewable and Non-conventional Energy” award

Soybean catalyst for hydrogen evolution: EES article in Chemistry World

Recently published HOT articles in Energy & Environmental Science

Energy & Environmental Science Editor’s choice: all-organic and hybrid photovoltaic devices

Greener electronics

Top 10 most-read EES articles in March

New results challenge understanding of how microbial fuel cells work

Large-scale energy storage – a step forward

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