Experimenting with photoelectrochemical cells in drinking straws: practical aids for learning about solar energy in school or at home

摘要

Photoelectrochemical cells using dye-sensitized ZnO with a Cu2+/Fe2+/Fe3+ electrolyte can be easily made at home or in a school classroom with household chemicals and other readily available materials. The cells, which are made with wire housed within plastic drinking straws, have open-circuit voltages of 0.5–0.7 V and short-circuit currents of about 0.5–2.5 mA cm-2. Step-by-step instructions are provided on how to construct the photoelectrochemical cells, as are suggestions about how to use the cells to explore some concepts associated with utilizing solar energy.