Electrolytic photodissociation of chemical compounds by iron oxide photochemical diodes

Patent · Tue Aug 06 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6406124

Somorjai, G; Leygraf, C H

Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor photochemical diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The photochemical 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 4533608
• OSTI ID: 6406124
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080106 -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Biosynthesis & Photochemical Processes
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DISSOCIATION
DOPED MATERIALS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
MAGNESIUM
MATERIALS
METALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTODIODES
PHOTOLYSIS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WATER