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UV‐Light‐Driven Oxygen Pumping in a High‐Temperature Solid Oxide Photoelectrochemical Cell
Author(s) -
Brunauer Georg Christoph,
Rotter Bernhard,
Walch Gregor,
Esmaeili Esmaeil,
Opitz Alexander Karl,
Ponweiser Karl,
Summhammer Johann,
Fleig Juergen
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201503597
Subject(s) - photoelectrochemical cell , materials science , electrolyte , chemical energy , electrochemistry , electrochemical cell , solar cell , water splitting , electrochemical energy conversion , open circuit voltage , oxygen , optoelectronics , oxide , energy transformation , electrode , photovoltaic system , chemical engineering , voltage , photocatalysis , chemistry , catalysis , electrical engineering , biochemistry , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
A solid‐state photoelectrochemical cell is operated between 400 and 500 °C under 365 nm UV light. The cell consists of a photovoltaic part, based on a La 0.8 Sr 0.2 CrO 3 /SrTiO 3 junction, and an electrochemical part including a zirconia solid electrolyte with a shared (La,Sr)FeO 3 electrode. The photovoltaic cell part leads to open circuit voltages up to 920 mV at 400 °C. Upon UV light, this driving force is used in the electrochemical part of the cell to pump oxygen from low to high partial pressures, i.e., to convert radiation energy to chemical energy. This demonstrates the feasibility of high‐temperature photoelectrochemical cells for solar energy storage. The detailed characterization of the different resistance contributions in the system by DC and AC methods reveals the parts of the cell to be optimized for finally achieving high‐temperature photoelectrochemical water splitting.