Photocatalysis and Chemical Reaction Lab
The RICH center is primarily focused on investigating the application of photocatalysts and chemical reactions for: (1) the conversion of CO2 and (2) the generation of H2. Due to the environmental concerns related to high atmospheric CO2 concentrations, photocatalysis is currently being explored as a promising solution for the reduction of CO2 into solar fuels, such as methane and methanol. Photocatalysis is also being studied for the production of hydrogen, a sustainable fuel resource, through the degradation of various water and air pollutants, including organic contaminants and H2S. In the RICH center, novel photocatalysts are first synthesized through wet-chemical techniques and are later characterized for their chemical, physical and optical properties. These photocatalytic materials are then tested for their application in CO2 conversion and H2 generation.
Some of the facilities and tools in the center related to photocatalysis are listed as follows:
- Spin coater equipped with hot plate
- UV-Vis spectrophotometer equipped with reflectance accessory
- Several photocatalytic reactors of different sizes and shapes
- Variety of different light sources, ranging from UV to visible to solar
- Gas Chromatograph with FID Detector
- Gas Chromatograph with TCD Detecto
- HPLC with Diode Array and Refractive Index detector