Premium
Photoassisted Oxygen Reduction Reaction in H 2 –O 2 Fuel Cells
Author(s) -
Zhang Bingqing,
Wang Shengyang,
Fan Wenjun,
Ma Weiguang,
Liang Zhenxing,
Shi Jingying,
Liao Shijun,
Li Can
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201607118
Subject(s) - tandem , open circuit voltage , photocatalysis , materials science , oxygen , catalysis , fuel cells , electrochemical energy conversion , energy storage , electrochemistry , semiconductor , chemical engineering , oxygen reduction reaction , solar cell , polymer , voltage , nanotechnology , chemistry , optoelectronics , electrode , electrical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering , composite material , physics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a key step in H 2 –O 2 fuel cells, which, however, suffers from slow kinetics even for state‐of‐the‐art catalysts. In this work, by making use of photocatalysis, the ORR was significantly accelerated with a polymer semiconductor (polyterthiophene). The onset potential underwent a positive shift from 0.66 to 1.34 V, and the current was enhanced by a factor of 44 at 0.6 V. The improvement was further confirmed in a proof‐of‐concept light‐driven H 2 –O 2 fuel cell, in which the open circuit voltage ( V oc ) increased from 0.64 to 1.18 V, and the short circuit current ( J sc ) was doubled. This novel tandem structure combining a polymer solar cell and a fuel cell enables the simultaneous utilization of photo‐ and electrochemical energy, showing promising potential for applications in energy conversion and storage.