SPP 1613:  Regeneratively Produced Fuels by Light Driven Water Splitting: Investigation of Involved Elementary Processes and Perspectives of Technologic Implementation

• Subject Area: Chemistry ; Materials Science and Engineering ; Physics ; Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering
• Term: from 2012 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 198634447

The concept of this Priority Programme starts from the basic exploration of the elementary processes of the catalytic water splitting reaction in the dark and under illumination and it reaches up to a scientifically based assessment and deployment of engineering strategies tor technological feasible perspectives. Aim is the combination of semiconductor based materials for light absorption and charge separation with elementary and biomimetic catalysts for the O2- and the H2- evolving reactions. The single approved research projects shall lead to synergies by the combination of differing experimental and theoretical expertise and approaches. A bias towards technologically viable concepts should be consensus between the participating groups. Solar energy conversion efficiencies above ten percent (radiation to H2) seem to be realistic in the medium term and should therefore be generally possible in the approved projects. Approaches, which will presumably not deliver such efficiencies or which are too divergent in their scientific issues, shall not be considered in this Priority Programme, e.g. molecular or biomimetic methods for the primary processes of light absorption and charge separation in analogy to photosynthesis in biological systems. Research issues, which are primarily related to current delivering solar cells, shall not be followed either. These areas have been or are already covered by previous or running programmes. To achieve a high degree of coherence between the projects of this Priority Programme, there will be a thematic concentration on strongly interconnected research topics: photoelectrochemistry (PEC), photocatalysis (PC) and electrocatalysis (EC), which are to be combined into model systems for artificial photosynthesis (PS). Furthermore, new theoretical and experimental techniques for the characterisation of the systems under investigation should be developed.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• International Connection: Denmark

Projects

• A monolithic all-silicon multi-junction photovoltaic electrolysis device for solar hydrogen production by direct water splitting (Applicant Berghoff, Birger )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Jaegermann, Wolfram )
• Development of catalysts, namely manganese oxides and molybdenum sulphides, for an implementation in a light-driven water-splitting device using a multi-junction solar cell (Applicants Dau, Holger ;  Fiechter, Sebastian ;  Kurz, Philipp )
• Development of optimum bandgap photoanodes for tandem water-splitting cells based on doped complex metal oxides and III-V semiconductors coupled to water oxidation electrocatalysts (Applicants Beránek, Radim ;  Devi, Anjana ;  Eichberger, Rainer )
• Elementary Steps in the photocatalytic Water Splitting over TiO2-based Model Electrode Systems (Applicants Jacob, Timo ;  Over, Herbert )
• Enhanced water splitting activity through flame made heterojunctions of doped and functionalized mixed metal oxide nanoparticles predicted by combinatorial computational materials design (Applicants Heine, Thomas ;  Mädler, Lutz )
• Ferrites for photoelectrochemical water splitting (Applicants Bahnemann, Detlef ;  Bredow, Thomas ;  Wark, Michael )
• High-throughput characterization of multinary transition metal oxide and oxynitride libraries. New materials for solar water splitting with improved properties (Applicants Fiechter, Sebastian ;  Ludwig, Alfred ;  Schuhmann, Wolfgang )
• Highly Robust and Efficient Water Oxidation Catalysts based on Nanoscopic Metal Oxide Species (Polyoxometalates): from Fundamental Science to Devices (Applicants Kortz, Ph.D., Ulrich ;  Vankova, Nina )
• In-situ environmental TEM studies of electro- and photo-electrochemical systems for water splitting (Applicant Jooss, Christian )
• Iron oxides with highly ordered mesoporosity for photoelectrochemical oxygen formation from water (Applicants Bahnemann, Detlef ;  Wark, Michael )
• Metal oxide nanostructures for electrochemical and photoelectrochemical water splitting (Applicants Bein, Thomas ;  Fattakhova-Rohlfing, Dina ;  Pentcheva, Rossitza ;  Scheu, Christina )
• Nanostructured mixed metal oxides for the electrocatalytic oxidation of water (Applicants Strasser, Peter ;  Teschner, Detre )
• Novel thin film composites and co-catalysts for visible light-induced water splitting (Applicants Behrens, Malte ;  Fischer, Anna ;  Lerch, Martin ;  Schedel-Niedrig, Thomas )
• Photoelectrocatalytic Anion Substituted Perovskites PAP (Applicant Weidenkaff, Anke )
• PhotoElectroChemical applicCation of Uranium oxides for enhanced LIght AbsoRption (PECULIAR) (Applicant Mathur, Sanjay )
• Photoelectrochemical water splitting using adapted silicon based semiconductor multi-junction cell structures (Applicants Finger, Friedhelm ;  Jaegermann, Wolfram ;  Schäfer, Rolf )
• Quantum chemical and quantum dynamical studies of the photocatalytic water splitting on titanium dioxide surfaces (Applicant Klüner, Thorsten )
• Sustainable solar energy conversion with defined ferrite nanostructures (Applicant Marschall, Roland )
• Ta3N5 nanotubes and -rods: doping, band-gap engineering and stabilization (co-catalysis) (Applicant Schmuki, Patrik )
• Three-dimensional semiconductor nanowire networks as model systems to study physical processes in nanostructured electrodes for light-driven water splitting (Applicant Toimil-Molares, Maria Eugenia )
• Tuning the (magneto)optical properties of supported plasmonic metal catalysts towards high performance and stability in photo(electro)catalytic water splitting (Applicants Beller, Matthias ;  Brüser, Volker ;  Lochbrunner, Stefan )
• Zn-doped Gallium Oxynitride Nanoparticles as Efficient Photocatalyst for Water Splitting (Applicants Muhler, Martin ;  Winterer, Markus )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Wolfram Jaegermann