The effect of molecular dynamic energy of photocatalysts on hydrogen production

Abstract

Activated Carbon (AC) and Clitoria Ternatea Powder (CTP) were used as photocatalysts to produce hydrogen gas from water. Photocatalysts were characterized by SEM-EDX and FTIR. Photocatalysis was carried out for 1 hour using 300 W halogen blue light. The resulting gas was measured in ppm using the MQ 8 gas detector and converted into μmol. In photocatalysis, the various ratios of AC and CTP affect the molecular dynamic energy. The molecular dynamics energy was estimated with Hyperchem software. At the case of constant AC while increasing the number of CTP, the molecular dynamics energy increases from 524,143 kcal/mol to 801,488 kcal/mol. Whereas in the case of constant CTP while increasing the number of AC, the molecular dynamics energy only slightly increase from 524,143 kcal mol−1 to 541,527 kcal mol−1. Molecular dynamic energy in both cases is directly proportional to the hydrogen gas production in the first case, increasing CTP the hydrogen production reaches 2635 µmol g−1 h−1. Whereas in the second case, increasing AC, the hydrogen production tends to be constant. These results indicate the AC will play an optimal role as catalyst support when most of its defects are filled with CTP the defective grapheme in AC boosts the behaviour of electrons in the aromatic ring of CTP. In the future, it will be a step forward for the production of hydrogen gas in an environmentally friendly way.