{"id":151310,"date":"2026-03-06T11:02:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T16:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=151310"},"modified":"2026-03-10T09:27:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:27:52","slug":"ucf-researcher-creates-improved-method-to-harvest-hydrogen-energy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researcher-creates-improved-method-to-harvest-hydrogen-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Researcher Creates Improved Method to Harvest Hydrogen Energy"},"content":{"rendered":"

A decade of rigorous research led by Associate Professor of Material Science and Engineering Yang Yang produced an impactful patent.<\/p>\n

The focus of the research behind the patent is to create a cost-effective, high-efficiency and sustainable method for manufacturing nano-materials to enhance energy and chemical production. Yang says he hopes that this will in turn address the current limitations of traditional, expensive fabrication techniques.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea stemmed from the challenge of making solar hydrogen production more efficient and affordable,\u201d says Yang, a member of the NanoScience Technology Center<\/a>.  According to Yang, the materials were tested and validated for their application as catalysts. The recent findings were also published in the Royal Society for Chemistry.<\/em><\/p>\n

A Catalyst for Innovation<\/h2>\n

The technology uses particles designed to optimize the generation and production of hydrogen and oxygen that serve as catalysts for energy production.   Traditional catalysts only respond to ultraviolet light, however this new development can harness a broader spectrum of sunlight.<\/p>\n

To achieve this, Yang engineered particles within precise nanoscale structures that were grown inside titanium oxide (TiO\u2082) cavities, or light traps. These cavities can capture and control a wider spectrum of light, including sunlight, ultraviolet and near-infrared.<\/p>\n