EFFECT OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE PHOTOCATALYSTS ON HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM RAW BIOMASS

The rapid increase in global energy demand has led to the search for clean and sustainable energy sources. In recent years, the possibility of hydrogen production and utilization has become an area of interest. Efficient methods for hydrogen production must be developed for hydrogen to be a viable source of energy. Photocatalytic reforming using organic sacrificial agents is a popular area, with the majority of research focusing on the development of highly active photocatalysts for the process. This study aimed to investigate the potential of titanium dioxide (P25) and titanium tetraisoproxide (TTIP) photocatalysts on the photocatalytic reforming of glucose and Ipomea asarifolia leaves. Initially, the effect of varying glucose concentrations was investigated over different weights of bare TiO2 (P25) and titanium tetraisoproxide catalysts. It was found that an ideal glucose concentration of around 20 mg/L over 2g of both catalysts enhanced the rate of hydrogen production by many-fold, even though P25 was more active. No hydrogen was recorded for Ipomea asarifolia over the titanium tetraisoproxide catalyst. However, a considerable amount of H2 was produced from the ipomea in the presence of P25