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Title: Photochemical energy storage: studies of inorganic photoassistance agents. Progress report, April 1, 1982-September 30, 1984

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6357665

Work during the contract period (4/1/82-9/30/84) has involved studies related to the light-driven production of thermodynamically unstable, but isolable, redox products. Such work has focused on the use of semiconductor electrodes as the light absorber, and such electrodes have been demonstrated to be relatively efficient in the conversion of optical energy to chemical or electrical energy. Materials used as photoanodes included n-type semiconducting SrTiO/sub 3/, TiO/sub 2/, GaAs, Si, WS/sub 2/, MoS/sub 2/, and intrinsic a-Si:H. Photocathode materials included p-type semiconducting WS/sub 2/, InP, Si and intrinsic a-Si:H. Much of the actual redox chemistry concerned development and characterization of photoelectrode catalysts for fuel-forming reactions such as H/sub 2/ evolution from reduction of H/sub 2/O, formate formation from reduction of aqueous bicarbonate, and the evolution of halogens from the oxidation of halides. Relatively efficient conversion of optical energy to chemical energy can be realized using various semiconductor/redox reagent/electrolyte/solvent combinations. Perhaps the most significant features of the research during the contract period are (1) the discovery of relatively efficient Pd-based catalysts for equilibrium of the H/sub 2/O/H/sub 2/ and CO/sub 3/H/sup -//HCO/sub 2//sup -/ redox couples under mild conditions; (2) the demonstration of efficient photoelectrochemical generation of Cl/sub 2/ with 632.8 nm light; and (3) the development of the use of redox polymers in photoelectrolysis of H/sub 2/O.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76ER04178
OSTI ID:
6357665
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/04178-8; ON: DE85000800
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English