Name: Arka Bhattacharyya
Diploma / M.Sc degree: IIT Guwahati, India
(May 2013)

PhD Project: Overall water splitting involving carbon nanotube (CNT) – polymer-inorganic hybrid photocatalyst

Abstract of Research Project

One promising, energy efficient and green process for large scale production of H₂ is the overall splitting of water to its constituent elements H₂ and O₂. Utilizing separate lower band gap catalyst for this H₂-O₂ evolution has great potential for solar light driven water splitting. Next generation photocatalyst such as hybrid materials consisting of inorganic nanoparticles and nanocarbons (carbon nanotubes, graphene) embedded in proton conducting polymer matrices (multifunctional materials) is favorable for overall water splitting process.

My doctoral project will focus on development of such multifunctional materials and study of their photocatalytic activity in terms of water splitting. Non toxic, nanosized inorganic hybridized metal oxides and oxy-nitrides can be used as oxidation or reduction catalyst. It is expected that incorporation of nanocarbon (CNT) will improve activity towards overall water splitting due to its unparalleled mechanical and electrical properties and enhanced photon absorption and reduced charge recombination, Separation of the two catalyst types along with preservation of aligned structure of CNTs are key requirements for the development of novel catalyst-electrode-catalyst assembly. A new strategy is the utilization of CNT fibers, which can be aligned in a specific direction in polymer matrices.

In this project, we anticipate that by separating the inorganic photocatalysts with electron conducting CNTs embedded in proton-conducting polymer will result in better efficiency of water splitting. Thus we can develop an environment friendly pathway to produce H₂ using sustainable natural energy sources.