The present invention provides a method for the generation of hydrogen, where the method comprises the step of reducing a mediator, such as a polyoxometallate, at a working electrode to yield a reduced mediator and generating oxygen at a counter electrode; and contacting the reduced mediator with a catalyst, such as a Pt, Rh, Pd, Mo or Ni containing catalyst, thereby to oxidise the reduced mediator to yield hydrogen.

The present invention provides a method for the generation of hydrogen, where the method comprises the step of reducing a mediator, such as a polyoxometallate, at a working electrode to yield a reduced mediator and generating oxygen at a counter electrode; and contacting the reduced mediator with a catalyst, such as a Pt, Rh, Pd, Mo or Ni containing catalyst, thereby to oxidise the reduced mediator to yield hydrogen.

Photocatalytic device to dissociate an aqueous phase to product hydrogen gas, said device being set up in such a way that at least one photocatalytic system in contact with said aqueous phase can be irradiated by a light source to produce—through an oxidation reaction in said aqueous phase—oxygen gas, electrons and protons at a means of electron capture, said device comprising: a first zone comprising said aqueous phase, and a means for reducing said protons set up to carry out a reduction reaction on said protons by said electrons in order to generate hydrogen gas.
said device being characterised in that said means for proton reduction is a proton exchange interface with a front side facing said means of electron capture, and a back side, with only said back side of said proton exchange interface bearing at least one catalyst and/or at least one catalytic system.

In aspects of the disclosure, a fuel cartridge wherein the fuel is in a powdered form is admixed with inert materials such as alumina or other ceramics to improve thermal conductivity. Said cartridge having fuel zones, heating zones, and controllers to selectively heat fuel zones and thereby generate hydrogen via decomposition of fuel is disclosed.

In aspects of the disclosure, a fuel cartridge wherein the fuel is in a powdered form is admixed with inert materials such as alumina or other ceramics to improve thermal conductivity. Said cartridge having fuel zones, heating zones, and controllers to selectively heat fuel zones and thereby generate hydrogen via decomposition of fuel is disclosed.

A photocatalytic composition is disclosed that includes a silver halide in combination with one or more rare earth elements. The composition may be used for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.

Disclosed is a hydrogen generator with a door that can be opened to replace a fuel unit and closed to seal the door. A lock responds directly to pressure within the chamber to prevent opening when the pressure exceeds a threshold value. The lock includes a locking member with a lug that engages a retainer to seal the door when the door is locked and is disengaged from the retainer when the door is unlocked. An opening mechanism moves the locking member to lock and unlock the door. A movable key is engaged with the opening mechanism and the locking member when the pressure in the chamber is at or below the threshold value and disengaged from one of the opening mechanism and the locking member by an actuator (e.g., a flexible diaphragm) so the door cannot be unlocked and opened when the pressure is above the threshold value.

Disclosed is a hydrogen generator with a door that can be opened to replace a fuel unit and closed to seal the door. A lock responds directly to pressure within the chamber to prevent opening when the pressure exceeds a threshold value. The lock includes a locking member with a lug that engages a retainer to seal the door when the door is locked and is disengaged from the retainer when the door is unlocked. An opening mechanism moves the locking member to lock and unlock the door. A movable key is engaged with the opening mechanism and the locking member when the pressure in the chamber is at or below the threshold value and disengaged from one of the opening mechanism and the locking member by an actuator (e.g., a flexible diaphragm) so the door cannot be unlocked and opened when the pressure is above the threshold value.

Nanostructured arrays having a metal catalyst (e.g., cobalt) are irradiated with light to initiate the an artificial photosynthetic reaction resulting in the formation of carbon-containing molecules, for example, long chained hydrocarbons or amino acids. A nanostructure having one or more structural elements having a high aspect ratio can formed over a substrate and are placed in contact with water and a carbon-containing source (e.g., carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, methane). When the nanostructure is exposed to light, the water and the carbon-containing source can react to form a molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together. Structural elements may include a number of metal layers arranged in a patterned configuration so that, upon light irradiation, a greater amount of light energy is concentrated in close proximity to the region where the reaction is catalyzed than for the case without the patterned configuration.

The present invention relates to a photocatalyst device obtained by thin film making on solid surfaces, wherein the device comprises of titania, optionally in the form of composite with noble or transition metal(s) or metal oxides. This device (FIG. 1) is evaluated in direct sunlight for hydrogen generation (FIG. 4) and oxidation of alcohols (Table 3) using aqueous alcohol solution through water splitting and simultaneously oxidizing alcohol to oxygenated products.