Photoelectrochemical behavior of n-Ga-As electrodes in ambient-temperature molten-salt electrolytes

Journal Article · Wed Jul 02 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00534a020· OSTI ID:6811826

Singh, P; Rajeshwar, K; DuBow, J; Job, R

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) characterization of n-GaAs electrodes was carried out in room-temperature molten-salt electrolytes by using the aluminum chloride-butylpyridinium chloride (AlCl/sub 3/-BPC) system as a representative example. The working potential limits for the above electrodes in the melts, containing varying ratios of AlCl/sub 3/ and BPC, were established by cyclic voltammetry. Flat-band potential (V/sub fb/) measurements on n-GaAs in the same melts enabled location of the semiconductor band edge positions relative to the melt stability windows. In electrolytes containing AlCl/sub 3/ and BPC in the 1:1 molar ratio, the available range of potential was wide enough to probe the entire band-gap region. On the other hand, the potentials corresponding to the conduction band edges of n-GaAs were beyond the cathodic stability limit of both the 2:1 and 0.75:1 AlCl/sub 3/-BPC compositions. The electrode dissolution behavior of illuminated n-GaAs electrodes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in melts of varying composition containing no intentionally added electroactive species. The onset of photoanodic corrosion currents was significantly positive of the values observed in aqueous electrolytes. The redox behavior of ferrocene-ferricenium ion couple (Fe(Cp)/sub 2//Fe(Cp)/sub 2//sup +/) was studied by cyclic voltammetry on vitreous carbon electrodes in the 2:1, 0.75:1, and 1:1 AlCl/sub 3/-BPC electrolytes. Underpotentials developed for the photoanodic process on n-GaAs relative to the reversible (dark) thermodynamic values on vitreous carbon were direct evidence for the sustained conversion of light energy to electrical energy.

• Research Organization: Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins
• OSTI ID: 6811826
• Journal Information: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 102:14; ISSN JACSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400500* -- Photochemistry
ALUMINIUM CHLORIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AZINES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONVERSION
DATA
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYTES
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MOLTEN SALTS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PYRIDINES
PYRIDINIUM COMPOUNDS
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
SALTS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT