Photon energy conversion and storage with a lighthyphen;driven insertion reaction

摘要

Experiments are presented that demonstrate the possibility of photon energy conversion with a photoelectrochemical insertion reaction. The reaction is performed with the Cu+hyphen;conducting semiconductor copper thiophosphate (Cu3PS4; bandhyphen;gap energy,Eg=2.3 eV) as the photocathode. The Cu3PS4crystals were grown by chemical vapor transport with halogen as the transport agent. The thermodynamics of the photoinsertion reaction of copper into Cu3PS4electrodes was investigated, determining a compositionhyphen;voltage diagram in the dark and under illumination. In photoelectrochemical cells the kinetics of the photoinsertion reaction was studied. Energyhyphen;converting photoinsertion cells could be realized with suitable counterelectrodes. The principles of energyhyphen;storing photoinsertion cells are discussed together with efficiency limitations and electrode arrangements that may overcome these difficulties.