skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electrolytic photodissociation of chemical compounds by iron oxide photochemical diodes

Patent ·
OSTI ID:865545

Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor photochemical diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The photochemical diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Berkeley, CA)
Patent Number(s):
US 4533608
OSTI ID:
865545
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English