The Application of Nano Titanium Dioxide for Hydrogen Production and Storage Enhancement

Abstract

The utilization of hydrogen (H2) as a renewable and clean energy carrier, free from the reliance on fossil fuels, represents a significant technological challenge. The use of renewable energy sources for hydrogen production, such as photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water under solar radiation, has garnered significant interest. Indeed, the storage of hydrogen presents another hurdle to the ongoing advancement of hydrogen energy. Concerning solid-state hydrogen storage, magnesium hydride (MgH2) has emerged as a promising option due to its high capacity, excellent reversibility, and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, its storage performance needs improvement to make it suitable for practical applications. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has distinguished itself as the most extensively researched photocatalyst owing to its high photo-activity, good chemical and thermal stability, low toxicity, and affordability. This review highlights the application of TiO2 for hydrogen production under visible and solar light, with a particular focus both on its modification without the use of noble metals and its utilization as a catalyst to enhance the hydrogen storage performance of MgH2.