Solar Energy Conversion: A Photoelectrochemical Approach

ISBN-13: 9783642749605 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 163 str.

Yuri V. Pleskov; Prem K. Dang

Opis

In the past 12-15 years an essentially new trend in electrochemistry has sprung up around the problem of solar energy conversion. Strictly speaking, this is not a purely electrochemical but an interdisciplinary field involving the fields of cataly- sis, corrosion, chemistry of disperse systems, and others. Nevertheless, electro- chemistry, to be more exact, photoelectrochemistry of semiconductors, provides a theoretical basis for new methods of converting light energy into electrical or chemical energy, which, we hope, shall find practical application in the not so dis- tant future. In the past years, this field has been discussed amply and at length in special monographs (e. g., in Ref. l]). Therefore, in this book the photoelectro- chemistry of semiconductors is presented in a concise form (exceptions are only specific problems which have been elucidated incorrectly or have not been covered completely in the literature). In this compact monograph we have aban- doned the principle of "self-seclusion": for a more deep insight into the funda- mentals of electrochemistry, photoelectrochemistry, and physics of semiconduc- tors the reader shall have to refer to the below-cited manuals, while information on the physicochemical properties of particular semiconductor electrodes can be taken, e. g., from Refs. 2, 3].

Spis treści

1 Role of Solar Energy in the National Economy.- 2 Photoelectrochemistry as the Theoretical Basis of a Solar Energy Conversion Method.- 3 Stages of a Photoelectrochemical Process.- 4 Advantages of Semiconductor Photoelectrochemical Cells for Solar Energy Conversion.- 1 Fundamentals of Describing the Structure of the Semiconductor/Electrolyte Interface and its Photoelectrochemical Reactions.- 1.1 Aspects of the Physics of Semiconductors.- 1.2 Action of Light on Semiconductors.- 1.3 Energy and Electrochemical Potential Levels in the Electrolyte Solution.- 1.4 Structure of the Semiconductor/Electrolyte Solution Interface.- 1.5 Kinetics of Electrochemical Reactions on Semiconductor Electrodes.- 2 Processes Underlying the Action of Semiconductor Photoelectrochemical Cells.- 2.1 Fundamentals of Describing Photoelectrochemical Reactions on Semiconductor Electrodes.- 2.2 Photocorrosion and Protection of Semiconductor Electrodes.- 2.3 Types of Photoelectrochemical Reactions and Classification of Photoelectrochemical Cells.- 2.4 Characteristics of a Photoelectrochemical Cell.- 3 Solar Energy Conversion into Chemical Energy. Cells for Photoelectrolysis of Water.- 3.1 Basic Problems.- 3.2 Photoassisted Electrolysis of Water.- 3.3 Two-Quantum Photoelectrolysis of Water.- 3.4 Two-Stage Conversion of Solar Energy: Generation of Electrical Energy Followed by Electrolysis of Water.- 3.5 Oxide Photoanodes for Photoelectrolysis of Water.- 4 Solar Energy Conversion into Chemical Energy. Cells for Photoelectrolysis of Inorganic (other than Water) and Organic Substances.- 4.1 Photodecomposition of Hydrogen Halide Acids and other Inorganic Compounds.- 4.2 Photoelectrochemical Reactions of Organic Compounds.- 4.3 Photoelectrodes Made of Semiconductors with a Layered Crystal Lattice: Photointercalation and Photodeintercalation Processes.- 5 Solar Energy Conversion into Chemical Energy. Suspensions and Colloidal Systems.- 5.1 Mechanisms of Photoelectrochemical Processes in Microheterogeneous Systems.- 5.2 Microheterogeneous Systems: Fundamentals of their Preparation and Study Methods. Special Effects.- 5.3 Photosplitting of Water.- 5.4 Photodecomposition of H2S and Sulfides. Other Reactions Involving the Participation of Inorganic and Organic Compounds.- 6 Solar Energy Conversion into Electrical Energy. Regenerative Photoelectrochemical Cells.- 6.1 Basic Problems.- 6.2 Description of Particular Systems.- 6.3 Liquid-Junction Solar Cells for Storage of Energy.- 7 Protective Coatings for Semiconductor Electrodes.- 7.1 Coatings of Metals and Degenerated Semiconductors.- 7.2 Coatings of Electrically Conductive Polymers.- 7.3 Electrodes with Chemically Modified Surface.- Conclusion.- References.