Of all the renewable resources, solar energy has the greatest potential for endingour reliance on fossil fuels. The solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface is 10,000 times the total energy consumption of the planet at any given time and yet we harness only 0.1% of this, mostly as solar-thermal energy. The major limitations of solar energy conversion processes are cost and storage. Strategies for addressing these issues have focused on advanced designs and new materials. Nanomaterials- materials with high surface-to-volume ratios, play a crucial role in the future of this industry. The work of this thesis involved a novel design for a cost-effective, water-splitting system that produces hydrogen - a storable fuel. The system designwas comprised of nanomaterials assembled on a microparticle. Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2016. Includes bibliographical references.