LIST and 3D Oxides working to develop new materials for hydrogen production

A hydrogen-focused partnership between Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and 3D Oxides has opened up a joint laboratory and installed its first instrument.

Source : h2-view.com
Date de publication : 21/09/2020

Originally announced in June, the four-year partnership aims to conduct a research programme focused on energy, and in-particular, on the development of new materials for the hydrogen industry.

The ultimate goal of the project is the acceleration of new materials discovery adapted to the challenges of hydrogen production and beyond.

With the creation of a joint lab between LIST and 3D-Oxide, two projects are being researched and brand-new innovative equipment is being installed.

STONB project 

A new projected titled STONB (Strontium Titanate Oxide and Narrow Bandgap) will be led by Dr Emanuele Barorini as part of the announcement.

The project is based on the observation that although in a short-mid time scale, the hydrogen economy can be initiated through fossil fuels, however, its long term sustainability relies on other precursors as well as on production processes driven by renewable energy.

In this respect, photo-electrochemical water splitting by solar photons, a process where the solar energy is captured by the surface of special materials and exploited to break the water molecules in hydrogen and oxygen, is the “perfect solution” largely emphasised by not reached.

Among the materials considered for photo-electrochemical water splitting, Strontium Titanate is particularly interesting due to its physical-chemical properties and will be researched during the project.

Being able to easily produce hydrogen, by an effective, cost-efficient process based on water and solar-photons, would significantly reduce one’s carbon footprint and solve the current problem of excess renewable energy storage, which the STONB project aims to achieve.

HEPHOTO project

Led by Dr. Bianca Rita Pistillo and supported by the National Research Fund via the Bridges programme, aims at developing a functional material used in photo-electro-catalytic processes to separate hydrogen and oxygen.

Both projects received funding from Luxembourg National Research Fund.

Molly Burgess

www.h2-view.com/story/list-and-3d-oxides-working-to-develop-new-materials-for-hydrogen-production/