Chandigarh’s Panjab University wins patent for water-to-hydrogen tech

A team of researchers at Chandigarh’s Panjab University has been granted a patent for a nanocomposite material that can clean contaminated wastewater and generate hydrogen gas at the same time. The patent — titled ‘Nanocomposite Material for Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Hydrogen Generation Coupled with Benzyl Alcohol Conversion’ — lists Dr Pinki Sehrawat, Prof Sushil Kumar Kansal, Prof Surinder Kumar Mehta and Dr Surinder Singh as the inventors.

According to the university, the patented photocatalyst degrades hazardous dyes present in wastewater while generating hydrogen under solar or visible light exposure. In the same process, benzyl alcohol is converted into benzaldehyde, a chemical compound used in the pharmaceutical, fragrance and broader chemical industries.

University officials framed the invention as an integrated technology, one that folds wastewater remediation, renewable hydrogen generation and green chemical synthesis into a single photocatalytic process rather than requiring separate systems for each. They called it a sustainable route to both environmental cleanup and clean energy generation.

The team said the patented technology aligns with the objectives of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and could open doors for further research and skill-building in photocatalysis, nanotechnology, renewable energy and hydrogen production. They also pointed to its potential to drive industry-academia partnerships and support indigenous clean-energy development.

The researchers credited Panjab University for the institutional support and facilities that made the project possible, from initial research through to the patent being awarded.

Wikimedia Commons/by Juichi1