Sensitized photoelectrolysis of water with sunlight. Final report, June 1, 1977-December 31, 1978

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5624377· OSTI ID:5624377

Ghosh, A K; Maruska, H P

A study was made of solar driven water photoelectrolysis cells employing semiconductor electrodes. An extensive review of the literature was undertaken, and the three major problem areas for these devices were identified: corrosion, poor sunlight absorption, and external bias requirement. Although many semiconductors had been tested, none had proven free of all three defects. Two approaches were thus followed for the experimental studies: impurity sensitization of wide band gap stable oxides, and heterostructure formation between unstable sunlight absorbers and corrosion resistant oxides. Water decomposition was achieved with visible light excitation of Cr-doped TiO/sub 2/. Transport properties were studies for TiO/sub 2/ and SrTiO/sub 3/ electrodes doped with V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni. The correlation between bias requirement and electron affinity of oxides was identified. Performance of heterostructure electrodes was shown to be limited either by pin hole problems or by potential barriers between the valence bands.

• Research Organization: Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Linden, NJ (USA). Government Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5624377
• Report Number(s): COO-4271-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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08 HYDROGEN
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14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
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AFFINITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SELENIDES
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
DATA
DATA FORMS
DYES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
ENERGY GAP
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FABRICATION
GRAPHS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
IMPURITIES
INFORMATION
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
JUNCTIONS
LYSIS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOSPHORS
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
PHOTOELECTROLYSIS
PHOTOELECTROLYTIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REAGENTS
RECOMBINATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SENSITIZERS
SPACE CHARGE
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM OXIDES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TABLES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TESTING
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WATER