Amorphous Si-Solar Cell Assisted Hydrogen Production by Photocleavage of Water in Carbon Modified (CM)-n-TiO_2/Pt Photoelectrochemical Cell

摘要

Carbon modified (CM)-n-TiO_2 was used as the photoanode in CM-n-TiO_2/Pt photoelectrochemical cell (PEC), to split water and an amorphous (a)-Si triple junction solar cell was used to supply an extra photovoltage. Hydrogen production rate in terms of cell photocurrent density in CM-n-TiO_2/Pt PEC was measured. Also, the effects of solar cell parameters on the PEC cell photocurrent density were investigated. It was found that under assistance of the photovoltage from the a-Si solar cell, the CM-n-TiO_2/Pt PEC generated significantly increased photocurrent density (5.3 mA/cm~2) compared to that by undoped n-TiO_2/Pt PEC (1.0 mA/cm~2). The photoresponse of CM-n-TiO_2/Pt PEC was found to be limited due to low short circuit photocurrent density generated at a-Si solar cell even though it supplied needed extra photovoltage for water splitting.