Photoelectrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production using combination of CIGS2 solar cell and RuO2 photocatalyst

    Authors

    N. G. Dhere;A. H. Jahagirdar

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Thin Solid Films

    Keywords

    photocatalyst; photoelectrochemical cell; ruthenium oxide; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Materials Science, Coatings &; Films; Physics, Applied; Physics, Condensed Matter

    Abstract

    This paper presents the development of photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell for water splitting setup using multiple band gap combination of CuIn1-xGaxS2 (CIGS(2)) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) cell and ruthenium oxide (RuO2) photocatalyst. FSEC PV Materials Lab has developed a PEC setup consisting of two illuminated CIGS2 cells, a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) anode deposited on titanium sheet for oxygen evolution and a platinum foil cathode for hydrogen evolution. With this combination, a PEC efficiency of 4.29% has been achieved. This paper also presents the research aimed at further improvements in the PEC efficiency by employing highly efficient photoanode that can be illuminated by photons not absorbed at the PV cell and by increasing the concentration of electrolyte solution (pH 10). The former will be achieved by employing a p-type transparent and conducting layer at the back of PV cell to transmit the unabsorbed photons, and the latter will reduce the resistance offered by the electrolyte. Concentration of the electrolyte was increased by five times, and the I-V characteristics of both RuO2 and RUS2 were measured with and without illumination. The results indicate that PEC efficiencies of over 9% can be achieved using RuS2 with illumination and five times concentrated pH 10 solution instead of pH 10 with normal concentration. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Thin Solid Films

    Volume

    480

    Publication Date

    1-1-2005

    Document Type

    Article; Proceedings Paper

    Language

    English

    First Page

    462

    Last Page

    465

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000229173600091

    ISSN

    0040-6090

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