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Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613782201597952 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Van den Berg, Pieter Leon |
| author2 | Goosen, Neill |
| author_browse | Goosen, Neill Van den Berg, Pieter Leon |
| author_facet | Goosen, Neill Van den Berg, Pieter Leon |
| author_sort | Van den Berg, Pieter Leon |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131942 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:36.774Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131942 Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming Van den Berg, Pieter Leon Goosen, Neill Agyei-Tuffour, Benjamin Mapholi, M. E. Zwonaka Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Photocatalysis Titanium dioxide -- Industrial applications Copper -- Industrial applications Hydrocarbons UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For this project, copper-loaded and platinum-loaded anatase TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesised via chemical reduction in order to determine whether copper loading has the potential to be a low-cost alternative to platinum loading for the production of green hydrogen via photocatalytic ethanol reforming. Once synthesised, the compositional, physical, morphological, crystallographic, and optical properties of the TiO2 photocatalysts were characterised. An energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy composition analysis revealed that the project had the following TiO2 photocatalysts: bare TiO2, 0.55 wt% Cu/TiO2, 0.92 wt% Cu/TiO2, 1.79 wt% Cu/TiO2, 0.91 wt% Pt/TiO2, and 2.29 wt% Pt/TiO2. The photocatalytic yields of the different TiO2 photocatalysts were measured using an ambient-pressure liquid-phase photoreactor equipped with GaN LEDs emitting photons with a wavelength of 365 nm. The photocatalytic hydrogen yields were measured using the thermal conductivity detector of the photoreactor setup’s on-line gas chromatograph. In order to quantify the molar amounts of hydrogen produced, a calibration curve was created that related the hydrogen integrals given by the thermal conductivity detector to the hydrogen concentration inside the photoreactor. The photocatalytic experiments revealed that the bare TiO2 photocatalyst was unable to photocatalytically produce hydrogen. Both the copper-loaded and platinum-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts were able to photocatalytically produce hydrogen, with the platinum-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts producing about three times more hydrogen than the copper-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts did. While the platinum-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts produced about three times more hydrogen than the copper-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts did, the platinum atoms required to synthesise the platinum-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts cost about a 100 times more than the copper atoms required to synthesise the copper-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts did. Copper was therefore found to be a viable low-cost alternative to platinum loading for the production of green hydrogen via photocatalytic ethanol reforming. Analysis of the organic side products using a flame ionisation detector coupled with a methanizer revealed that the platinum-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts produced significantly more methane and ethane than the copper-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts did. The carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide yields were found to be independent of the loading metal. Copper was therefore also found to be a more selective loading metal than platinum for the production of green hydrogen via photocatalytic ethanol reforming. Finally, an analysis of the gaseous and liquid-phase acetaldehyde yields of the bare TiO2 revealed that the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde is a photocatalytically driven step, while metal atoms on the surface of the TiO2 are required in order to facilitate the thermal hydrogen recombination process. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-04-30T09:22:34Z 2025-04-30T09:22:34Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131942 Stellenbosch University x, 128, lvi pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Photocatalysis Titanium dioxide -- Industrial applications Copper -- Industrial applications Hydrocarbons UCTD Van den Berg, Pieter Leon Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title | Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title_full | Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title_fullStr | Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title_short | Cu and Pt loaded TiO2 for H2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| title_sort | cu and pt loaded tio2 for h2 production via photocatalytic ethanol reforming |
| topic | Photocatalysis Titanium dioxide -- Industrial applications Copper -- Industrial applications Hydrocarbons UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131942 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vandenbergpieterleon cuandptloadedtio2forh2productionviaphotocatalyticethanolreforming |