Plasmonic photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical redox flow batteries
AssigneeBattelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC
InventorsPATRICK A. WARD, SIMONA E. HUNYADI MURPH, HECTOR COLON-MERCADO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Photoelectrodes and photoelectrochemical redox flow batteries incorporating the photoelectrodes are disclosed. The photoelectrodes include a photoactive semiconductor and a plurality of nanoparticles, each of which includes a plurality of edges and/or points, e.g., nanostars, nanopyramids, nanorods, etc.
Claims20
A photoelectrode comprising a photoactive semiconductor and a plurality of plasmonic nanoparticles in electrical communication with the photoactive semiconductor, each plasmonic nanoparticle having a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 200 nm or less, each plasmonic nanoparticle defining a plurality of points and/or edges.
A redox flow battery comprising:
- a photoelectrode, the photoelectrode comprising a photoactive semiconductor and a plurality of plasmonic nanoparticles in electrical communication with the photoactive semiconductor, each plasmonic nanoparticle having a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 200 nm or less, each plasmonic nanoparticle defining a plurality of points and/or edges;
- a second electrode;
- an ion exchange membrane separating the photoelectrode and the second electrode;
- a first redox couple in solution configured for contact with the photoelectrode;
- and
- a second redox couple in solution configured for contact with the second electrode.
A method for charging a redox flow battery comprising:
- contacting a photoelectrode of the redox flow battery with light, the photoelectrode comprising a photoactive semiconductor and a plurality of plasmonic nanoparticles in electrical communication with the photoactive semiconductor, each plasmonic nanoparticle having a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 200 nm or less, each plasmonic nanoparticle defining a plurality of points and/or edges;
- and
- contacting the photoelectrode with a solution comprising a redox couple, wherein upon the contact, the redox couple is oxidized or reduced;
- wherein the photoelectrode exhibits a current density that is about 5 μA/cm2 or greater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.