Photocatalytic Modeling for Maximizing Utilization of Real-Time Changing
Sunlight and Rationalizing Evaluation
- Xuhui Wei,
- Houkui Xiang,
- Yang Xu,
- Zhijian Wang,
- Jiazang Chen
Abstract
Because of very high potential barrier for thermionic emission and
trap-assisted charge recombination, photocatalytic reaction rate that
determined by semiconductor-cocatalyst interfacial electron transfer
severely deviates from linearity to the photocatalyst dosage or to the
light intensity. This makes it challenging to maximize utilization of
practical irradiation by referring the parameters evaluated from method
used in conventional catalysis. We here develop a model and predict that
photocatalytic reaction rate positively correlates to photocatalyst
concentration under weak illumination while the correlation becomes
negative under intense irradiation. The theoretical simulation that
matches the experimental values can be used to guide maximizing
photocatalytic photon utilization under various intensity of
irradiation. The strong correlation can rationalize photocatalytic
evaluation instead of obtaining a numerically high value by excessively
lowering the denominators. To realize efficient utilization of real-time
changing sunlight, we propose a reactor configuration that can optimize
the amount of photocatalyst participating into the reaction.14 Jul 2022Submitted to AIChE Journal 15 Jul 2022Submission Checks Completed
15 Jul 2022Assigned to Editor
16 Jul 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Oct 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
30 Oct 20221st Revision Received
02 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
02 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
02 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
05 Nov 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Accept