Researchers from Rice University have created a simple new type of solar power plant that can convert water and sunlight into hydrogen fuel. The system is very similar to other "artificial leaf" designs, but the team says the system can be self-sufficient and the production cost is relatively low.
The system consists of a peroxide solar cell connected to an electrode made of catalyst to electrolyze water. When sunlight hits a solar cell, it generates electrical energy, powers the catalyst, and then splits the water into oxygen and hydrogen. This hydrogen can then be collected for use.
The efficiency of sunlight on hydrogen is about 6.7%, which is relatively high for this type of system. However, the team stated that the most useful feature is the self-sufficiency of the new design. Both the solar cell and the electrode are in one unit-the solar cell module is encapsulated in a polymer casing, which allows them to pass sunlight while protecting them from water. The researchers' idea is that this device can basically be thrown into some direct sunlight and let it run for a long time to produce hydrogen as needed.
"With clever system design, you can potentially form a self-sustaining cycle," said Jun Lou, the study's lead author. "Even when there is no sunlight, you can use chemical fuel to store energy. You can put hydrogen and oxygen products in different tanks, and then combine another module like a fuel cell to change these fuels. Into electricity. "
The team said they also adjusted the peroxide solar cell so that it does not require expensive components like platinum. Instead, these elements were replaced with cheap elements such as carbon. This should reduce the production cost of the equipment and make its commercial production more feasible. In addition to hydrogen fuel, the "artificial leaf" design is also exploring methods for producing electricity, medicines, fertilizers, syngas, and other useful compounds.
The new study was published in the journal ACS Nano.
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