An innovative photoelectrochemical lab device for solar water splitting

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Tânia Lopes (Author) FEUP; Paula Dias (Author) FEUP; Luísa Andrade (Author) FEUP; Adélio Mendes (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Vol. 128

Pages: 399-410

ISSN: 0927-0248

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 33 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 50 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Chemical engineering

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Chemical engineering

Associated Projects

BI-DSC - Building Integrated Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

NanoPEC - Nanostructured photoelectrodes for energy conversion

H2Solar - Células fotoelectroquímicas para produção de hidrogénio a partir de energia solar

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-QBV

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.05.051

Abstract (EN): A photoelectrochemical (PEC) device capable of splitting water into storable hydrogen fuel by the direct use of solar energy is becoming a very attractive technology since it is clean and sustainable. Indeed, real field experiments are being developed in order to assess technological issues for large-scale usage under outdoor conditions. Following the need for developing photoelectrochemical devices with an optimized design that allows reaching a commercial performance level, the present works describes an innovative PEC cell for testing different photoelectrodes configurations, suitable for continuous operation and for easily collect the evolved gases. Moreover, a porous Teflons diaphragm useable for a wide range of aqueous electrolyte solutions is tested. Two semiconductors were investigated: tungsten trioxide and undoped hematite. The WO3 photoelectrodes were deposited in two different substrates: (i) anodized WO3 photoelectrodes on a metal substrate and (ii) WO3 deposited by blade spreading method on a TCO glass substrate. The undoped-Fe2O3 photoanode was deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique in a TCO glass substrate. The material deposited on glass substrates allows to obtain transparent photoelectrodes. Photocurrent–voltage characteristics were obtained for all samples characterized under three different conditions: (i) no membrane separating the anode and the cathode evolution; (ii) using a Teflons diaphragm and (iii) using a Nafions 212 membrane. The transparent samples (photoanodes deposited on glass substrates) produced the highest values of photocurrent when the Teflons diaphragm was used. This photocurrent enhancement was assigned to the high reflectance showed by the diaphragm, which reflects back a significant fraction of the transmitted solar radiation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: Publicação abrangida pelo Journal Citation Reports 2015

No. of pages: 12