I have a question I hope some of you knowledgeable folks can help me out
with. To the point: is there any way that one can use sunlight to get
hydrogen and oxygen gas out of water with a parabolic mirror? This is a
high-school senior's proposed 7-month project. From the scant online
research I have done, it seems he would need some indium-tantalum oxide
semiconductor material doped with nickel
[http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2002/010902/Sunlight_turns_water_to_fuel_
010902.html]
in order to do it, and then I have no idea what the process would be and
how much light is needed. In any case, any practical advice on the
feasibility of this project would be appreciated, I have to meet with
him next week to give him some feedback. He has access to a machine
shop and very likely has the ability to build a good mirror, but as for
the rest...
Thanks in advance.
Seth Miller
East Bay Waldorf School