WÜSTITE-BASED PHOTOELECTRODES WITH LITHIUM, HYDROGEN, SODIUM, MAGNESIUM, MANGANESE, ZINC AND NICKEL ADDITIVES

• US 20140130853A1
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University), TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, LTD. (Technion-Israel Institute Of Technology)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton University)
• Inventors: Carter, Emily Ann, Toroker, Maytal Caspary
• Granted Patent: US 9,735,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/254
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0264 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/032 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only compounds not provided for in groups H01L31/0272 - H01L31/0312
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/07 the potential barriers being only of the Schottky type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/072 the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A photoelectrode, photovoltaic device and photoelectrochemical cell and methods of making are disclosed. The photoelectrode includes an electrode at least partially formed of FeO combined with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel. The electrode may be doped with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, and sodium. The electrode may be alloyed with at least one of magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel.

Claims

1. A photoelectrode comprising an electrode at least partially formed of FeO combined with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel.

2. The photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the electrode is doped with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, and sodium.

3. The photoelectrode of claim 1, wherein the electrode is alloyed with at least one of magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel.

4. The photoelectrode of claim 2, wherein the electrode is doped with hydrogen at any concentration, lithium at up to at least 0.45 metal fraction of lithium, and sodium at up to 0.25 metal fraction of sodium.

5. The photoelectrode of claim 3, wherein the electrode is alloyed with magnesium (II) oxide, manganese (II) oxide, zinc (II) oxide, or nickel (II) oxide at any concentration between 0% to 100%, particularly at 25%, 50%, or 75% concentration.

6. The photoelectrode of claim 2, wherein a lithium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

7. The photoelectrode of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

8. The photoelectrode of claim 2, wherein the sodium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

9. A photovoltaic device comprising:

a p-type semiconductor comprised of FeO combined with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel; and

an n-type semiconductor coupled to the p-type semiconductor forming a p-n junction.

10. The photovoltaic device of claim 9, wherein the p-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, and sodium.

11. The photovoltaic device of claim 9, wherein the p-type semiconductor is alloyed with at least one of magnesium, manganese, zinc, and nickel.

12. The photovoltaic device of claim 9, further comprising a load electrically coupled to the p-type and n-type semiconductors.

13. A photoelectrochemical cell configured for electrolysis of water, the photoelectrochemical cell comprising:

a first photoelectrode comprised of FeO combined with at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, zinc, and nickel, the electrode being configured for immersion in the water; and

a second electrically coupled to the first electrode, the second electrode being configured for immersion in the water.

14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 13, wherein the first electrode is doped with at least one of lithium, hydrogen and sodium.

15. The photovoltaic cell of claim 13, wherein the first electrode is alloyed with at least one of magnesium, manganese, zinc and nickel.

16. The photovoltaic cell of claim 14, wherein the lithium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

17. The photovoltaic cell of claim 14, wherein the hydrogen dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

18. The photovoltaic cell of claim 14, wherein the sodium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

19. The photovoltaic cell of claim 14, further comprising a voltage source electrically coupled between the two semiconductors.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the electrode is doped with at least one of lithium, hydrogen and sodium.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the electrode is alloyed with at least one of magnesium, manganese, zinc and nickel.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising surrounding the photoelectrode and a second electrode with an aqueous solution , the photoelectrode being configured to emit electrons upon light absorption and the second electrode being configured to generate holes.

20. A method of making a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

providing a p-type semiconductor at least partially formed FeO; and

combining at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and nickel with the p-type semiconductor;

providing an n-type semiconductor; and

forming a p-n junction between the p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the lithium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the hydrogen dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the sodium dopant is configured such that the dopant will not trap holes.

21. A method of making a photoelectrode, the method comprising:

providing an electrode at least partially formed FeO; and

combining at least one of lithium, hydrogen, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and nickel with the electrode.