DIT PhD Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Name John Cassidy
Email john.cassidy@dit.ie
Supervisors Profile:
Research Centre:
FOCAS
The Focas Research Institute addresses the
common needs of research activities in Science
and Engineering. It contributes strongly to the
development of self-sustaining research teams
in a number of strategic areas, such as Bio and
Nano technologies. Recent notable research
outputs include novel technologies for cervical
cancer screening and antibacterial surface
coatings. Its state of the art premises include
an unrivalled suite of instrumentation for
spectroscopic (UV to far IR) characterisation
and imaging (Raman, FTIR) and optical
(Confocal fluorescence), scanning probe (AFM,
conductive AFM) and electron microscopy
(SEM, WDX, EDX, variable pressure/cryo SEM,
TEM).
Research Centre website:
http://www.dit.ie/focas/
Supervisors Publications:
http://arrow.dit.ie and search under cassidy
Title of the Project: Photoelectrochemical Fuel Cell.
Project Summary: This work involves the remediation of wastewater using a fuel cell
configuration. In this way organic contaminants can be removed from water and electrical power
generated. In some ways it can be seen as an underwater incineration where organic pollutants
can be mineralised. An advantage of the technique includes the fact that trace levels of toxic
organic compounds such as pesticides and persistent organic pollutants can be removed[1] and
the wastewater can be cleaned up. Previous studies have demonstrated that simple compounds
such as alcohols[2,3] can be mineralised efficiently and current produced. In addition a similar
system has been employed to kill bacteria[4].The system relies on the use of an immobilised TiO2
layer on an electrode which acts as a catalyst for the oxidation of organics. At this electrode the
organics are mineralised, while at an air electrode cathode oxygen is reduced[5].
The proposed work involves the doping of TiO2 in order to yield layers that act more efficiently
using sunlight. This novel TiO2 material will be used in a fuel cell configuration. In this way the
photoelectrochemical cell will operate in daylight.
References
1.F.Al.Touati, Photocatalytic Remediation of Contaminated Water, Royal College of
Surgeons, PhD, (2006)
2. ‘ An Experiment Using a Simple Photoassisted Fuel Cell Designed to Remediate
Simulated Wastewater’, F.Touati, J.Cassidy, K.G.McGuigan, J.Chem. Ed., 84, (2007),
299-301.
3.’ A Novel TiO2/PVC Layer for use in a Photoelectrochemical Cell ’, F.Touati, J.Cassidy,
K.G.McGuigan, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells , 91, (2007), 740-744.
4. A Novel TiO2 assisted Solar Photocatalytic Batch Process Disinfection Reactor for Treatment
of Biological and Chemical Contaminants in Domestic Drinking Water in Developing Countries’,
E.F.Duffy, F.Touati, S.C.Kehoe, O.A.McLoughlin, L.W. Gill, W.Gernjak, I. Oller,
M.I.Maldonado, S.Malato, J.Cassidy, R.H.Reed, K.G.McGuigan, Solar Energy, 77, (2004), 649655.
5. ‘A Practical Photoelectrochemical Cell using Non Precious Metal Electrodes’ P.Enright,
A.Betts, J.F. Cassidy J.Applied Electrochemistry 41, (2011), 345.
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)