Electrolytic photodissociation of chemical compounds by iron oxide electrodes

Patent · Tue Jul 17 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6360516

Somorjai, G A; Leygraf, C H

Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
• Patent Number(s): US 4460443
• OSTI ID: 6360516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080101* -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Electrolysis
080106 -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Biosynthesis & Photochemical Processes
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTALS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
LYSIS
MAGNESIUM
MATERIALS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTROLYSIS
POLYCRYSTALS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WATER