Subtopic 3: Alternative Solar Technologies

研發微纖維紅磷從水中高效製造新型潔淨能源（氫氣）
Using micro-fibrous red phosphorus to produce clean fuel (hydrogen) from water with high efficiency

余濟美教授，香港中文大學，化學系
Prof. Jimmy Yu, Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

簡介Abstract

余濟美教授最近的研究發現，只要在水中加入一種「神秘成分」，一起暴露在陽光下，就能製造潔淨燃料。關鍵成分就是紅磷。在陽光下，紅磷可把水分解，產生氣泡狀的氫 ── 一種潔淨燃料。研究發現，一種特別類型的「微纖維紅磷」比其他種類的紅磷、甚至比其他光催化劑，能更有效從水中生產氫氣，同時成本也更低。余教授擁有多項發明專利，並獲湯森路透(Thomson Reuters) 譽為「2014 世界最具影響力科學家」之一。

The research team of Prof. Jimmy Yu found a way to create clean fuel by simply exposing water (laced with a secret ingredient) to sunlight. The key ingredient is red phosphrous. Their research discovered that the hydrogen yield by a particular type of red phosphrous (micro-fibrous phosphorus) is much higher than that of other types, and is the highest among elemental photocatalyst at a much lower cost. Prof. Yu holds several patents for his inventions, and was named as the “World‘s Most Influential Scientific Minds” in 2014 by the Thomson Reuters.

針對問題Problem to be solved

隨着人類對能源需求的快速增長以及使用傳統化石燃料所導致的全球氣候惡化，全球正為尋求潔淨能源而努力。光催化劑的運作，就如葉綠素之於植物，它吸收光的能源，產生化學反應並轉化為能源，過程就是一種人工的光合作用。可用作光催化劑的材料，沒有數千也有數百種，但大都是重金屬氧化合物，昂貴且製造過程複雜，常要用上稀有元素來提高效能。因此化學家一直尋求有相同功能的單一元素。紅磷蘊藏量豐富，取之不竭。它藏在地殼中，開採也容易。氫這種潔淨能源的容量很高，能比其他化學燃料產生更大能量。生產過程完結後，餘下的副產品只有水，並無有毒氣體。

The fast-growing demand for energy and the recognition of man-made global climate change underscore the urgency of developing clean and renewable energy resources to replace fossil fuels. A photocatalyst operates much as chlorophyll does in a plant, absorbing energy from light and causing a chemical reaction. The process of photocatalysis is simply a form of artificial photosynthesis. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of materials that can be used as photocatalysts. But most of them are heavy-metal oxide compounds that are expensive and complicated to produce. Very rare elements are often used to enhance their efficiency. So chemists have been searching for a single element that can perform the same function. Red phosphorous is abundant in the earth’s crust and can be extracted fairly easily. At the same time, hydrogen has a high fuel capacity and creates more energy than other chemical fuels. The process of conversion leaves only water as a by-product, not toxic gas.

余教授擁有多項發明專利，並獲湯森路透 (Thomson Reuters) 譽為「2014世界最具影響力科學家」之一。

Prof. Yu holds several patents for his inventions, and was named as the “World's Most Influential Scientific Minds” in 2014 by the Thomson Reuters.

Diagram showing the production of hydrogen from water via micro-fibrous phosphorus/SiO2.

以微纖維紅磷從水中製造新潔淨能源 (氫氣) 示意圖。

The hydrogen yield by micro-fibrous phosphorus/SiO2 is much higher than that of other red phosphorus, and is the highest among elemental photocatalyst.

微纖維紅磷比其他種類的紅磷、甚至比其他光催化劑，能更有效從水中生產氫氣。

專利 Patent Filed

Photocatalytic Co-Ps-loaded Red Phosphorus for H2 Formation from Water (US 8,940,656)

相關文獻 Related Paper:

Zhuofeng Hu, Luyan Yuan, Zhifeng Liu, Zhurui Shen,* & Jimmy C. Yu*. (2016). An elemental phosphorus photocatalyst with a record high hydrogen evolution efficiency. Angewandte Chemie, 55: 9580-5. [Link]


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Subtopic 3: Alternative Solar Technologies