Hydrogen photoproduction from bio-derived alcohols in an optical fiber honeycomb reactor loaded with Au/TiO2

Cordierite honeycombs loaded with 1 wt.% Au/TiO2 have been used in an optical fiber photoreactor illuminated with UV LEDs to produce hydrogen at 298 K from aqueous methanol, ethanol, glycerol, bio-ethanol, and bio-glycerol in liquid phase. The amount of alcohol has been varied between 1% and 100%. Under the same photoreaction conditions, the amount of hydrogen produced follows the trend: methanol ∼ ethanol ∼ glycerol > bio-ethanol ≫ bio-glycerol. Hydrogen photogeneration is significantly enhanced (4–5-fold increase) in the optical fiber honeycomb photoreactor with respect to a conventional slurry photoreactor.