Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolyes. Quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1980-October 31, 1980
Abstract
A solar cell using polyvinylpyrrolidone treated polycrystalline n-GaAs and CH/sub 3/CN, I/sub 3//sup -//I/sup -/ electrolyte achieved a power conversion efficiency of 4.3% with i/sub sc/ = 11.6 mA/cm/sup 2/, V/sub oc/ = -0.485V, P/sub max/ = 2.3 mW/cm/sup 2/, ff = 0.40 at 53.3 mW/cm/sup 2/ Xe arc intensity. A p-GaAs electrode in the same acetonitrile electrolyte gives photovoltages similar to those reported for aqueous HI/I/sub 2/ electrolyte, but the photocurrent decays rapidly with time. Exploratory work on p-Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ indicates that nonaqueous electrolytes will probably be required for EPCs based on this semiconductor due to a dark reaction of Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ with H/sub 2/O to liberate PH/sub 3/. Stable photoresponse was obtained in CH/sub 3/CN, I/sub 3//sup -//I/sup -/. Optimum thickness of electrodeposited CdSe films on titanium substrates was determined to be >3..mu... Anodization and dipping in ZnCl/sub 2/ solution improves i/sub sc/ and V/sub oc/, respectively, to give electrodes capable of >4% efficiency in aqueous polysulfide at 67 mW/cm/sup 2/ tungsten-iodine lamp intensity. Prototype solar cells of 4 cm/sup 2/ area suffer a reduction in efficiency due to iR drop between the electrodes and counter electrode polarization. The former may be reduced by perforating themore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- EIC, Inc., Newton, MA (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6620062
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/PR-8002-7-T1
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-77CH00178
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; PHOTOGALVANIC CELLS; ELECTRODES; PERFORMANCE; CADMIUM SELENIDES; DESIGN; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ELECTROLYTES; GALLIUM ARSENIDES; IODINE IONS; MONOCRYSTALS; NITRITES; PHOTOANODES; PHOTOCATHODES; POLYCRYSTALS; REDOX REACTIONS; SPECTRAL RESPONSE; ANODES; ARSENIC COMPOUNDS; ARSENIDES; CADMIUM COMPOUNDS; CATHODES; CHALCOGENIDES; CHARGED PARTICLES; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CRYSTALS; ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; EQUIPMENT; GALLIUM COMPOUNDS; IONS; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PNICTIDES; SELENIDES; SELENIUM COMPOUNDS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; 140505* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photochemical, Photobiological, & Thermochemical Conversion- (1980-)
Citation Formats
Rauh, R D. Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolyes. Quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1980-October 31, 1980. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Rauh, R D. Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolyes. Quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1980-October 31, 1980. United States.
Rauh, R D. Mon .
"Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolyes. Quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1980-October 31, 1980". United States.
@article{osti_6620062,
title = {Development of photoelectrochemical cells based on compound semiconductors and nonaqueous electrolyes. Quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1980-October 31, 1980},
author = {Rauh, R D},
abstractNote = {A solar cell using polyvinylpyrrolidone treated polycrystalline n-GaAs and CH/sub 3/CN, I/sub 3//sup -//I/sup -/ electrolyte achieved a power conversion efficiency of 4.3% with i/sub sc/ = 11.6 mA/cm/sup 2/, V/sub oc/ = -0.485V, P/sub max/ = 2.3 mW/cm/sup 2/, ff = 0.40 at 53.3 mW/cm/sup 2/ Xe arc intensity. A p-GaAs electrode in the same acetonitrile electrolyte gives photovoltages similar to those reported for aqueous HI/I/sub 2/ electrolyte, but the photocurrent decays rapidly with time. Exploratory work on p-Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ indicates that nonaqueous electrolytes will probably be required for EPCs based on this semiconductor due to a dark reaction of Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ with H/sub 2/O to liberate PH/sub 3/. Stable photoresponse was obtained in CH/sub 3/CN, I/sub 3//sup -//I/sup -/. Optimum thickness of electrodeposited CdSe films on titanium substrates was determined to be >3..mu... Anodization and dipping in ZnCl/sub 2/ solution improves i/sub sc/ and V/sub oc/, respectively, to give electrodes capable of >4% efficiency in aqueous polysulfide at 67 mW/cm/sup 2/ tungsten-iodine lamp intensity. Prototype solar cells of 4 cm/sup 2/ area suffer a reduction in efficiency due to iR drop between the electrodes and counter electrode polarization. The former may be reduced by perforating the photoelectrode. Photoaction spectra of electrodeposited CdSe films have been obtained with a newly constructed apparatus for recording source-corrected photocurrent action spectra of semiconductor electrodes.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6620062},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1980},
month = {12}
}