Device for the photoelectrochemical generation of hydrogen at p-type semiconductor electrodes

• US 4,310,405 A
• Filed: 09/23/1980
• Issued: 01/12/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Heller, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/190,017
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 204/128, 204/129, 204/252, 204/DIG. 3, 429/111
• US Class Current: 204/252
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/55 Photoelectrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 204/03 Auxiliary internally generated electrical energy

Abstract

A device having a p-type electrode comprising InP or Si and an electrolyte comprising a redox couple and a hydrogen catalyst evolves hydrogen at the p-type electrode when illuminated.

Claims

1. A device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode comprising a p-type semiconductor, a voltage source connected to said first and second electrodes, a liquid electrolyte, a separator in said electrolyte and forming first and second electrode compartments having said first and second electrodes, respectively,

characterized in that

said electrolyte in said second compartment further comprises a redox couple selected from the group consisting of V²⁺ /V³⁺, Nb⁴⁺ /Nb⁵⁺ and Ti³⁺ /Ti⁴⁺ cations and a hydrogen evolution catalyst selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, platinum and compounds thereof.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 in which said redox couple has a potential in the range between 0.020 and 0.6 volts more reducing than the H⁺ /H₂ electrode.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 in which said p-type semiconductor comprises a member selected from the group consisting of InP and Si.

4. A device as recited in claim 3 in which said electrolyte has a pH less than or equal to 3.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 in which said p-type semiconductor is InP.

6. A device as recited in claim 2 or 5 in which said catalyst comprises ruthenium.

7. A device as recited in claim 6 in which said catalyst is added to said electrolyte as RuCl₃.3H₂ O.