Ferrite Synthesis for Solar Thermochemical Water Splitting

Alternative energy will be essential in the near future and will help us retrieve our independence from fossil fuels. Converting solar energy into hydrogen energy by dissociating water is a process that provides a clean sustainable energy. There are various benefits involved with using ferrites as intermediates for water dissociation, including a reduction of the activation energy and generation of H2 and O2 in separate steps. We are studying the effect that cobalt concentrations, in CoxFe3-xO4, specific surface area, and temperature have on the total amount of oxygen evolved per mole of ferrite. Three different particle sizes were synthesized by standard solid state methods at 850 oC by varying the iron(III) oxide particle size. Specific surface area was measured by nitrogen adsorption (BET), and induced coupled plasma ? atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used to determine cobalt and iron concentrations. In Situ mass spectrometry, in conjunction with oxygen combustion analysis, is used to determine the degree of reduction and oxidation of the ferrites. Crystallinity changes are studied by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD).