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Wed, 17th Jun 2020 17:19:00 |
PV-electrochemical water-splitting for hydrogen production |
A German research team has developed a new photovoltaic-electrochemical device for alkaline water electrolysis. The prototype has an initial solar?to?hydrogen efficiency of approximately 7.7%.
Researchers at Germany's Jülich Institute for Energy and Climate Research (IEK-5) have created a photovoltaic–electrochemical (PV-EC) water-splitting device powered by solar energy.
The integrated PV-EC device with an active area of 0.5 cm2 was developed with solar panels based on triple?junction thin?film silicon solar cells with an efficiency rating of 10.8% and an electro-deposited bifunctional nickel iron molybdenum water?splitting catalyst.
"The introduction of a triple?junction Si solar cell offers the possibility of manufacturing a self?contained base unit without the need for additional series interconnection, which is normally required when using single? or double?junction solar cells," the research team said, adding that a similar approach may also result in more efficient and cheaper devices, as dead areas created by interconnections are avoided. Their efficiency increases by reducing the dead area and increasing their active area.
With an aperture area of 64 cm2 and an active area of 56 cm2, the wireless solar panel is able to provide an open?circuit voltage of approximately 2.16 V and a voltage at the maximum power point of about 1.72 V, which the scientists claim is enough to enable bias?free water splitting.
As for the water-splitting catalyst, the scientist developed a bifunctional NiFeMo device prepared by electrodeposition.
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