Hydrogen is the preferred source for producing energy with no environmental impact, since the only byproduct of its combustion is water. The expectations on using such vector as the next generation source for economy and clean energy production have been raised significantly in the past years, due to a huge increase of the carbon dioxide levels in the air. However, hydrogen is not naturally present in geological layers, as coal, crude oil or methane. Currently, it is produced through the transformation of methane into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the so-called 'reforming reaction', based on the use of fossil fuels. Thus, its sustainable production is one of the issues to be solved before it can be used.
The Carbon Bionanotechnology group of Prof. Maurizio Prato at CICbiomaGUNE Research Center and the group of Professor Paolo Fornasiero from the University of Trieste in collaboration with the University of Bologna, Stanford University, the National Research Council (CNR) of Parma, University of Pennsylvania and University of Padova, have developed new hierarchical catalysts based on co-axial arrangement of a palladium/titanium dioxide layer on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes for sustainable production of hydrogen, both via photochemical processes and water electrolysis. A mechanistic synergy is envisioned by a cascade of catalytic events promoting water dissociation, hydride formation and hydrogen evolution. The nanohybrid exhibits a performance exceeding that of state of-the-art electrocatalysts. Such results suggest new perspectives for the use of nanomaterials in this setting and move a step forward the sustainable production of hydrogen from renewable sources.
There is still a long way to obtain clean energy and zero ecological impact, but such results suggest that we are moving in the right direction.