Meet Alumni:

Viraj Pandey

2021 3M Young Scientist Challenge Finalist
2025 Alumni Grant Recipient

Viraj was awarded the New Idea to Improve the World Grant for their work on "A Novel Triad for Clean Energy: Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation Using Graphene Quantum Dots, Titanium Dioxide, and Sunlight.”

About their Project

Most hydrogen fuel today is made using non-renewable fuels, which releases massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Their project explores an alternative way—using sunlight and advanced nanomaterials to split water and produce hydrogen gas. By combining Titanium Dioxide with Graphene Quantum Dots, they have developed a method that boosts hydrogen output by 8 times compared to traditional materials. This research could help make hydrogen a more practical and eco-friendly energy source for the future.

What was the inspiration behind your project?

As a 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalist, I witnessed firsthand how scientific innovation can create real-world solutions, inspiring me to apply that same mindset to one of the world‚ as most pressing challenges: clean hydrogen production.

Hydrogen fuel represents one of the most promising solutions. Hydrogen holds immense potential as a renewable fuel, but current production methods are either inefficient or heavily reliant on non-renewable fuels. However, 95% of hydrogen production today relies on fossil fuels, releasing 830 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually. This not only undermines hydrogen‚ as potential as a clean fuel but also contributes significantly to global warming.

My research explores an alternative approach using Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) to enhance photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Drawing from breakthroughs in nano-materials, I hypothesized that GQDs could significantly improve electron transfer and charge separation in TiO2-based water-splitting photocatalysis, leading to greater hydrogen yields.

My current experiments have shown promising results, but to further refine and validate this technology, I need access to more advanced and precise methods for measuring hydrogen production. This includes gas chromatography for accurate hydrogen quantification. Additionally, and maybe the most importantly, optimizing GQD synthesis methods could bring a significant boost in the H2 production. I hope to receive guidance from experts in nano-materials and photocatalysis as this might be crucial in improving efficiency and scaling this solution for real-world impact.

With support from the 3M Alumni Grant, I hope to expand this research, explore additional applications such as CO2 capture, and contribute to the global shift toward renewable energy. Just like 3M, I believe science has the power to transform the world, and I am committed to being part of that change.