Please select the desired project time frame:
- July 2026
- January 2026
- July 2025
- January 2025
- July 2024
- January 2024
- July 2023
- January 2023
- July 2022
- January 2022
- July 2021
- January 2021
- July 2020
- January 2020
- July 2019
- January 2019
- July 2018
- January 2018
- July 2017
- January 2017
- July 2016
- January 2016
- July 2015
- January 2015
- July 2014
- January 2014
- July 2013
- January 2013
- July 2012
- January 2012
- July 2011
- January 2011
- July 2010
- January 2010
- July 2009
- January 2009
- July 2008
- January 2008
- July 2007
- January 2007
- July 2006
- January 2006
- July 2005
- January 2005
- July 2004
- January 2004
- July 2003
- January 2003
- July 2002
- January 2002
- July 2001
- January 2001
Start of funding 01.01.2010
Electrokinetic Co-generation of Hydrogen and Electricity
Prof. Dr. Roland Netz
Technische Universität München
Prof. Dr. Richard J. Saykally
University of California, Berkeley
Department of Chemistry
Due to the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, the search for efficient alternative energy sources is becoming crucial. It was recently shown that the simultaneous co-production of gaseous hydrogen and electrical power is possible using microjets of liquid water. The energy efficiency is approximately 10%, and design changes have to be considered for a significant improvement in efficiency. In this collaboration, we apply modern theoretical models and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics to examine the influence of various parameters on the electrokinetic charge separation in liquid microjets: the nature of the surface (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, charged, metallic), the composition of the aqueous liquid (ionic environment, pH), and the influence of temperature, pressure, and flow rate are studied. The modeling prediction are guidelines for ongoing experimental efforts.
Final report:
In the Saykally group it was recently shown that the simultaneous co-production of gaseous hydrogen and electrical power is possible using microjets of liquid water, which is potentially relevant in connection with the search for efficient alternative energy sources and energy transformation technologies. The mechanism has to do with the preferential adsorption of H3O+ at the water surface in conjunction with kinetic charge separation, which is quantified by the so-called streaming potential. To increase the energy efficiency, which currently is approximately 10%, it seems useful to be able to quantitatively model the experimental data. In three visits of the PIs at UC Berkeley the necessary model refinement were discussed. First we developed quantitative models to correctly reproduce experimental Zeta potential data at simple model surfaces. Here it proved necessary to include both the viscosity and the dielectric water interfacial profiles into the modified electrokinetic theories. These profiles were extracted from suitably modified atomistic simulations. On the other hand, in order to obtain reliable H3O+ distributions at water surfaces, we started developing accurately benchmarked H3O+ force fields. This work is still ongoing.