Where: Room Vicente Martín Guzmán Room at the Doctoral School of Universitat Jaume I.
Presented by: Prof. Sixto Gimenez
Producing green hydrogen efficiently is a major challenge due to the high energy demands of water splitting. One promising alternative is the electrochemical oxidation of glycerol (GEOR), a reaction that enables hydrogen generation while converting waste into valuable chemicals. This thesis explores GEOR from three complementary perspectives: (i) how current density influences product distribution and reaction kinetics, (ii) how catalyst design and light can enhance photoelectrochemical performance, and (iii) how to reliably detect and quantify products through a tailored HPLC method. The results highlight how nickel-based catalysts and photogenerated carriers, from silicon-based materials, influence selectivity, and how the system design (including flow cells) can reduce the overall energy input. The optimized analytical protocol ensures reproducible quantification across diverse conditions. Altogether, these findings advance our understanding of GEOR and provide practical tools for developing cleaner, more efficient systems for hydrogen production and biomass valorization.
