Visible-Light Water Splitting and Remediation
Official patent title
Method of photocatalytic degradation and water splitting using nanocomposite
Arabic title: طريقة للتحلل الضوئي التحفيزي وشطر الماء باستخدام مركب نانوي
Invention
Invention
Problem
Many semiconductor photocatalysts have limited visible-light absorption, rapid electron-hole recombination, low conductivity, or short carrier-diffusion lengths, restricting pollutant degradation and photoelectrochemical water splitting.
Why it matters
One visible-light material addressing both environmental treatment and water-splitting research could consolidate development work, but gas yields, separation, pollutant mineralization, oxidant use, nanoparticle recovery, stability, and scale-up require independent verification.
Approach
The disclosure combines FeS2, α-Fe2O3, TiO2, and C3N4 in a nanocomposite used with visible light and applied voltage for water splitting or with an oxidant for organic-pollutant photodegradation.
Who may benefit
Potential beneficiaries include photocatalysis researchers, hydrogen and oxygen evolution laboratories, wastewater-treatment developers, photoelectrode manufacturers, and materials groups studying multicomponent semiconductor junctions.
Potential value
The platform links a defined four-component semiconductor material, a multistep synthesis, photoelectrochemical oxygen and hydrogen evolution, and visible-light pollutant degradation.
Background
Background
Photocatalysis can use light-generated electrons and holes for chemical reactions, including pollutant degradation and water splitting. TiO2 is widely studied but has a band gap near 3.2 eV and is mainly activated by ultraviolet light, limiting its use of the solar spectrum. Iron oxides can absorb visible light but may suffer rapid charge recombination and low conductivity. Two-dimensional materials and composite heterostructures are therefore investigated to improve light absorption, charge separation, accessible reaction area, and photoelectrochemical performance.
Technology overview
Technology overview
The claimed nanocomposite contains FeS2 and α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, and C3N4 nanosheets, with an Fe(II):Fe(III) ratio of 0.50:1 to 1.15:1 and a mean particle size of 100 to 400 nm. Separate claims cover visible-light oxygen evolution in 1.0 M KCl at 0.01 to 1.5 V, hydrogen evolution at −1.2 to −0.01 V, and pollutant degradation using hydrogen peroxide or persulfate. One claim states 70 to 99% degradation within 180 minutes.
Potential applications
Potential applications
- Potential photoelectrochemical oxygen generation from water.
- Potential photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation from water.
- Visible-light degradation studies for organic water pollutants.
- Research on multicomponent semiconductor photoelectrodes and catalysts.
Evidence-supported advantages
Evidence-supported advantages
- Combines four semiconductor components in one nanocomposite platform.
- Targets visible-light operation for both water splitting and degradation.
- Defines synthesis, composition, particle-size, and electrochemical parameters.
- Supports oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution, and pollutant-degradation methods.
Development stage
Development stage
The patent publication describes synthesis and reports electrochemical and pollutant-degradation parameter ranges; commercialization was not established, and the reported performance and development stage were not independently verified.
Commercial opportunity
Commercial opportunity
The platform could support photoelectrode, photocatalyst, or joint water-and-energy research programs. Commercial assessment should separately validate gas-production efficiency and purity, long-term photocorrosion, pollutant mineralization and byproducts, oxidant consumption, electrolyte handling, material recovery, reactor illumination, and performance at useful scale under representative operating conditions.
Patent classifications
Patent classifications
WIPO IPC
- A62D3/115Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
- A62D3/38Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
CPC
- A62D3/115Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
- A62D3/38Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
- C25B1/04Electrolytic or electrophoretic processes for producing compounds or non-metals; apparatus therefor
- A62D2101/20Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
- A62D2203/04Chemical means for extinguishing fires; chemically rendering harmful substances harmless; materials for protective coverings or clothing, gas-mask parts and breathing apparatus
- Y02E60/36Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions related to energy generation, transmission or distribution
Inventors
Inventors
- First inventorMohamed Khairy Abdel Fattah Omran
- InventorMohamed Mokhtar Mohamed
- InventorGamal Owes El-Sayed Owes
- InventorEnas Ebrahim Abdelmonem Mohamed
- InventorBabiker Yagoub Elhadi Abdulkhair
Keywords
Keywords
- photocatalysis
- water splitting
- hydrogen evolution
- oxygen evolution
- FeS2
- α-Fe2O3
- TiO2
- C3N4
- pollutant degradation
Patent document and drawings
Patent document and drawings
The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.