Photochemical conversion of solar energy. First quarter progress report, January 1, 1974--March 31, 1974. [Iron--thionine]

Technical Report · Tue Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:5385235

Lichtin, N N

Work was continued on the iron-thionine photogalvanic cell. Thin layer wholly illuminated photogalvanic cells were constructed using NESA and platinum electrodes. In some of these cells, the electrolyte consisted of iron-thionine solution absorbed on a polyelectrolyte membrane. Power at the level of microwatts was obtained with single thin layer, wholly illuminated cells. Evaluation of the performance of cells using aqueous-organic mixtures as solvents was pursued. Performance superior to that obtained in pure aqueous solutions was observed with aqueous N-methylpropionamide or aqueous acetonitrile and platinum electrodes. A number of kinetic parameters were evaluated employing solutions in solvents composed of various proportions of water and dimethylacetamide (DMA). Using the technique of pulsed laser photolysis-kinetic spectrometry, it was found that in aqueous solution semithionine appears to be generated in part by reaction of discreet molecules of triplet thionine with Fe(II) and in part by electron transfer within excited complexes of thionine and Fe(II). In solvents ranging in composition from 18 mole percent DMA to 90 mole percent DMA, the lifetime of semithionine increases with increasing proportion of DMA. In 18 mole percent DMA, the specific rate of oxidation of leucothionine by Fe(III) is approximately 40 times as great as it is in pure water.

• Research Organization: Boston Univ., Mass. (USA). Dept. of Chemistry
• OSTI ID: 5385235
• Report Number(s): NSF/RANN/SE/GI-38103/PR/74/1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
AMINES
ATOMIC IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELEMENTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
IONS
IRON
IRON IONS
METALS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
PHOTOGALVANIC CELLS
PHOTOLYSIS
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
REDOX REACTIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENTS
TESTING
THIONINE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS