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Title: Photochemical energy storage: studies of inorganic photoassistance agents. Progress report, December 17, 1980-September 14, 1981

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6055264

Work during the current contract period has concerned the use of certain n- and p-type semiconductors, including Si, InP, WS/sub 2/, TiO/sub 2/, and SrTiO/sub 3/, as photoelectrode materials in photoelectrochemical cells for optical energy conversion. Additionally, intrinsic a-Si:H on a stainless steel substrate has been characterized where the contact to the stainless steel is a thin, heavily doped n-type layer resulting in an ohmic contact near the conduction band. Study of p-type Si bearing a redox polymer/Pt(O) or Pd(O) catalyst system has been ongoing and improvements in photoelectrochemical H/sub 2/ generation via surface catalysis has been demonstrated. Highlights of the accomplishments so far are: (1) the demonstration that n-type WS/sub 2/-based photoelectrochemical cells can be used to sustain the uphill conversion of SO/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/O to H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and H/sub 2/ in 50% by weight H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/; (2) establishment of the behavior of photoconductor (a-Si:H) electrodes in contact with liquid electrolytes.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AS02-76ER04178
OSTI ID:
6055264
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/04178-5; ON: DE82000403
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English