Students: Stuart Bell

Stuart Bell

Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, Research Portfolio


Thesis Title: The effect of high temperature and light intensity on the performance of photocatalytic reactions.


Current Thesis Abstract: Photocatalysis is a process by which light energy, such as sunlight, can be used to drive energetically unfavourable chemical reactions. One such reaction is the dissociation of water into its constituent elements; hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be used as an energy carrier and used to produce electricity and useful work by means of a fuel cell or a combustion process. Current photocatalytic technologies however, display conversion efficiencies below that which is required to make them commercially viable.

This research entails and investigation of two fundamental physical parameters, temperature and incident light intensity outside the parameter ranges normally studied. There has been in the past much investigation of many aspects of photocatalysis for water dissociation, and development of methods to increase its viability. These however, have mainly focused on materials and chemistry related aspects of the process. We believe that an investigation of more engineering related aspects of the process, such as splitting water at high temperature and under concentrated light, could be a useful way in which to increase the practicality and effectiveness of this technology.