Unbiased, complete solar charging of a neutral flow battery by a single Si photocathode

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Kristina Wedege (Author) Other; Dowon Bae (Author) Other; Emil Drazevic (Author) Other; Adélio Mendes (Author) FEUP; Peter C. K. Vesborg (Author) Other; Anders Bentien (Author) Other

Journal

Title: RSC Advances

Vol. 8 No. 12

Pages: 6331-6340

ISSN: 2046-2069

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 22 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-MNS

DOI: 10.1039/c8ra00319j

Abstract (EN): Solar redox flow batteries have attracted attention as a possible integrated technology for simultaneous conversion and storage of solar energy. In this work, we review current efforts to design aqueous solar flow batteries in terms of battery electrolyte capacity, solar conversion efficiency and depth of solar charge. From a materials cost and design perspective, a simple, cost-efficient, aqueous solar redox flow battery will most likely incorporate only one semiconductor, and we demonstrate here a system where a single photocathode is accurately matched to the redox couples to allow for a complete solar charge. The single TiO2 protected Si photocathode with a catalytic Pt layer can fully solar charge a neutral TEMPO-sulfate/ ferricyanide battery with a cell voltage of 0.35 V. An unbiased solar conversion efficiency of 1.6% is obtained and this system represents a new strategy in solar RFBs where a single silicon photocathode is paired with energetically suitable redox couples to build an integrated solar energy conversion and storage device with full realization of the energy storage capacity.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10