Sparc Files a Patent for Improved Photocatalyst Coatings to Produce Green Hydrogen

Sparc Technologies has filed an Australian provisional patent application for its collaboration with the University of Adelaide. The goal is to create higher-performing photocatalyst coating technologies for use in water-splitting reactors that generate green hydrogen.

Improving Photocatalytic Water Splitting System Efficiency

Sparc filed a provisional patent application after working with the University of Adelaide for more than 12 months. Its purpose is to research alternative substrates, coating processes, and delivery mechanisms for photocatalytic water-splitting (PWS) reactors.

An analog photocatalyst material has been used to provide the first proof of concept. This illustrates the potential to enhance present techniques of coating and delivering particle photocatalysts. This leads to greater solar-to-hydrogen efficiency and cheaper running costs due to improved durability and manageability.

The majority of this study was done at the University of Adelaide, with support from Sparc Technologies. The concepts and methods mentioned in the provisional patent application have been designed to be applicable in Sparc Hydrogen's PWS reactors, but not solely. Sparc is supporting future R&D work on this subject by financing a two-year Masters scholarship at the University of Adelaide, which commenced in July 2024. Sparc owns all of the intellectual property created during this project.

Sparc managing director, Nick O'Loughlin, commented, “The lodgement of this provisional patent application is significant not just insofar as the technology’s potential to improve the cost and efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting systems, but also the synergies it demonstrates between Sparc’s coatings and polymers expertise being applied to uplift the value of its investment in Sparc Hydrogen.”

“Results in the lab are very encouraging and given the nascent stage of the PWS industry there is strong potential to deliver a highly relevant and complementary platform technology protected by IP which is 100% owned by Sparc Technologies.”

Benefits of Photocatalytic Water Splitting (PWS)

Sparc Hydrogen's use of PWS technology distinguishes it from standard techniques of producing green hydrogen. Importantly, PWS does not depend on renewable energy sources such as solar or wind farms, nor does it use costly electrolyzers to manufacture hydrogen from water. This tackles a critical problem in the emerging green hydrogen industry: the cost of renewable electricity.

Sparc Hydrogen's pioneering technology uses a photocatalyst material and sunlight to generate 'ultra-green' hydrogen straight from water. Hydrogen generated from PWS may be used as a clean fuel or feedstock to decarbonize difficult-to-abate businesses. Sparc Hydrogen's main benefits over electrolysis are:

• Photocatalysis does not use power to make hydrogen from water, therefore decoupling green hydrogen and energy expenses.

  
  

• PWS's simplicity as a straight solar-to-hydrogen generation device allows for very cheap prices.

  
  

• Sunlight is the sole energy source driving the water-splitting process, which produces 100% emissions-free hydrogen.

  
  

• Sparc Hydrogen employs concentrated solar infrastructure, which is naturally adaptable and expandable.

  
  

• PWS provides a comparative advantage over electrolysis in off-grid and isolated environments.

Source: Sparc Technologies