Development of new materials for hydrogen generation and wastewater treatment by photcatalysis

Identifier:  TDX:3152

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3152

Authors:  Toledo Camacho, Sandra Yurani

Abstract:
This thesis consists on the development of new materials for hydrogen generation and wastewater treatment by photocatalysis. Therefore, in this thesis are mainly studied catalysts based on palladium, titanium dioxide and tungsten trioxide (Pd/TiO2(-WO3)), but are also studied catalysts based on platinum, titanium dioxide and tungsten trioxide (Pt/TiO2(-WO3)), as well as a short study is performed on catalysts based on palladium, P25 (commercial titanium dioxide) and cupper (Pd/P25-Cu). The hydrogen generation is carried out from water-methanol (or glycerol in some cases) mixtures and from some municipal wastewater. The palladium photodeposition was studied and it was found that the hydrogen evolution is quite influenced by the metal photodeposition conditions on any of the three catalytic supports studied: NT-WO3 (NT: nanotubes of titanium dioxide), P25-WO3 and P25. Some of the photodeposition conditions studied were the catalyst concentration (1000 - 4000 ppm) and methanol concentrations (0 - 20 vol.%), metal amount (0.1 - 2 wt.%) and metal nature (palladium and platinum) in the photodeposition solution.