Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolytes. Annual report, May 1-April 30, 1981
A high solubility, low light absorption redox couple was developed based on Cu/sup +///sup +2/ chlorides in CH/sub 3/CN. The couple stabilizes n-GaAs against photoanodic dissolution at practical current densities, but not CdSe. Efficiencies for n-GaAs cells were 4 to 5%. p-Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ was examined as a photocathode and found to be very unstable with respect to cathodic decomposition yielding PH/sub 3/ in protic media. PECs based on the I/sub 3//sup -//I/sup -/ couple in CH/sub 3/CN resulted in stable regenerative devices for polycrystalline n-GaAs, with 3 to 4% solar conversion efficiency. CdSe and CdTe were about 90% and < 10% stabilized by these electrolytes at photocurrent densities >1 mA/cm/sup 2/. Thin films of CdSe on Ti, formed by a chemical bath deposition process, yielded >5% conversion efficiency in a polysulfide electrolyte under tungsten-halogen illumination. Thin films of CdSe on Ti formed by aqueous electrodeposition also yielded >5% efficiency, but the film homogeneity on performance was very sensitive to reagent concentration and current density. The techniques of laser spot scanning and photocurrent action spectra were modified for evaluation of chemical bath and electrodeposited CdSe photoanodes. Large area, sealed PECs based on both chemical bath and electrodeposited CdSe films have been designed, constructed and tested, and a qualitative assessment made of losses due to the various restructive geometries and counter electrode polarizations. A counter electrode based on Teflon bonded graphite and only 1% CoS/sub 2/ was developed that had excellent polarization characteristics for polysulfide electroreduction. The low concentration of Co may render PECs employing these electrodes less susceptible to photoanode poisoning than when pure CoS counter electrodes are used.
- Research Organization:
- EIC Labs., Inc., Newton, MA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-77CH00178
- OSTI ID:
- 5642461
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/PR-8002-7-T3; ON: DE82009825
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolytes. Semiannual report, May 1, 1981-October 31, 1981
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Related Subjects
ELECTRODES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
ELECTROLYTES
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
CADMIUM SELENIDES
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
COPPER CHLORIDES
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
IODIDES
MONOCRYSTALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
NONAQUEOUS SOLVENTS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOTOANODES
PHOTOCATHODES
PHOTOCURRENTS
POLYCRYSTALS
REDUCTION
STABILIZATION
ZINC PHOSPHIDES
ANODES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CATHODES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER HALIDES
CRYSTALS
CURRENTS
DEPOSITION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IODINE COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLVENTS
SURFACE COATING
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
140505* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion- (1980-)