A METHOD OF GENERATING HYDROGEN FROM WATER SPLITTING AND A PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELL FOR PERFORMING WATER SPLITTING

摘要

A method of generating hydrogen from photoelectrochemical water splitting using a technique that combines an external electric field with light-driven water splitting. In particular, an electric field is applied at a semiconductor-water interface in a manner that boosts the efficiency and performance of photoelectrochemical water splitting, e.g. by selecting properties of the external electric field to increase susceptibility of water molecules to break up. The radiation that drives water-splitting may be solar radiation, which effectively represents a zero-cost energy input. The advantage of the invention arises because the increase in hydrogen generated that follows from application of the external electric field can have a calorific value greater than the energy required to generate the external electric field. The external electric field thus has a quasi-catalytic effect to promote more efficient conversion of the radiation into hydrogen.