Photoelectrochemical system and a method of using the same
First Claim
1. A photochemical reactor for the production of oxidation and reduction products, comprising an illuminatable halfcell and a darkenable halfcell, each of which contains an electrode;
- said illuminatable halfcell containing a photosensitizer which absorbs visible light, an electron relay substance, a catalyst for mediating an oxidation-reduction process and an oxidizable or reducible substrate material;
means for irradiating the contents of said illuminatable halfcell with visible light to drive an endoergic reaction for converting said substrate material into oxidation or reduction products; and
the darkenable halfcell containing a catalyst for mediating an oxidation-reduction process; and
means for transporting electrons and ions between said illuminatable halfcell and said darkenable halfcell via an electrically conductive element joining the electrodes and an ion conducting junction, respectively.
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Abstract
A photoelectrochemical system for conducting endoergic chemical processes driven by light energy. This system consists essentially of an illuminated halfcell and a darkened halfcell joined via electrodes and an external circuit to allow for the transport of electrons. Also, the said halfcells are joined by an ion conducting junction so as to allow for the transport of ions. The illuminated halfcell contains a photosensitizer, an electron relay substance and a catalyst, and the darkened halfcell may contain a second electron relay and a catalyst. Illumination with visible light results in the simultaneous and separate generation of oxidation and reduction products.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A photochemical reactor for the production of oxidation and reduction products, comprising an illuminatable halfcell and a darkenable halfcell, each of which contains an electrode;
- said illuminatable halfcell containing a photosensitizer which absorbs visible light, an electron relay substance, a catalyst for mediating an oxidation-reduction process and an oxidizable or reducible substrate material;
means for irradiating the contents of said illuminatable halfcell with visible light to drive an endoergic reaction for converting said substrate material into oxidation or reduction products; and
the darkenable halfcell containing a catalyst for mediating an oxidation-reduction process; and
means for transporting electrons and ions between said illuminatable halfcell and said darkenable halfcell via an electrically conductive element joining the electrodes and an ion conducting junction, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- said illuminatable halfcell containing a photosensitizer which absorbs visible light, an electron relay substance, a catalyst for mediating an oxidation-reduction process and an oxidizable or reducible substrate material;
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7. A method for the endoergic production of oxidation and reduction products from at least one substrate material which comprises (a) irradiating with visible light an aqueous mixture in a halfcell containing (i) a said substrate material, (ii) a photosensitizer which absorbs visible light, (iii) an electron relay substance, one of elements (ii) or (iii) functioning as an electron donor and the other of which functioning as an electron acceptor, and (iv) an electrode;
- (b) mediating with a catalyst the oxidation-reduction process of said substrate material in said illuminated halfcell;
(c) maintaining a darkened halfcell which contains a said substrate material which may be the same as or different from that in said illuminated halfcell, and an electrode;
(d) mediating with a catalyst the oxidation-reduction process of said last mentioned substrate material in said darkened halfcell;
(e) simultaneously transporting electrons and ions between said illuminated halfcell and said darkened halfcell via an electrically conductive element joining said electrodes and an ion conducting junction, respectively, and (f) recovering the oxidation and reduction products. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- (b) mediating with a catalyst the oxidation-reduction process of said substrate material in said illuminated halfcell;
Specification