Efficient Solar to Chemical Conversion: 12% Efficient Photoassisted Electrolysis in the [-type InP(Ru)]/HCl-KCl/Pt(Rh) Cell
- 27 April 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 46 (17) , 1153-1156
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.46.1153
Abstract
The photoelectrochemical cell [-type InP(Ru)]/HCl-KCl/Pt(Rh) converts 12% of the incident solar energy into two useful chemicals, hydrogen and chlorine, by photoassisted electrolysis of aqueous hydrochloric acid. At the threshold for electrolysis, the voltage required is reduced from 1.3 to 0.65 V. Hydrogen evolution takes place at microscopic islands of catalysts such as Rh, Ru, and Pt. The high efficiency of the cell derives from a thin surface oxide on InP, preventing carrier recombination, and from efficient transport of electrons to the catalyst.
Keywords
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