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US 4,396,690 AGranted
Device for the simultaneous production of electricity and thermal energy from the conversion of light radiation
AssigneeDiamond Shamrock Corporation
InventorsArnold Z. Gordon, Thomas J. Gilligan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for the simultaneous conversion of light energy into electrical energy and thermal energy utilizing a liquid-junction semiconductor photocell (PEC) utilizing a novel photoactive true solid/solid solution semiconductor mixed metal oxide material electrode so as to adjust the band gap and/or optical response properties of the electrode to be more closely attuned to the major output portion of the solar spectrum as well as lowering the cost of production and being environmentally sound.
Claims39
A liquid-junction photoelectrochemical semiconductor cell adapted for producing electricity, fuel, chemicals and/or chemical energy and simultaneously producing thermal energy, using light radiation, comprising the following components:
- I. a first electrode comprising:
- a bulk or film electrode comprising a photoactive true solid/solid solution mixed metal oxide semiconductor material having a band gap of about 1.4 eV and which in the case of a film electrode is disposed on a supporting electrically conductive substrate;
- II. a second electrode comprising:
- a conductive or semiconductive layer which is transparent to that region of the energy spectrum utilized by component (I) and which is disposed on a supporting conductive substrate, wherein said substrate is transparent to said region of the energy spectrum, further characterized in that said second electrode, if semiconducting, is of opposite conductivity type in relation to said first electrode;
- III. an electrolyte disposed between, and in intimate contact with, both components I and II;
- IV. a thermal transfer medium in thermal contact with component I.;
- V. means for receiving the thermal energy produced;
- VI. means for receiving the electrical energy produced;
- wherein component I is further characterized in that said semiconductor material thereof is a photoactive true solid/solid solution semiconductor material derived from precursor substances selected from the group consisting of elemental metals, non-oxide metal compounds, and mixtures thereof;
- said mixed metal oxide material corresponding to the formula A.sub.r.sup.va M.sub.y.sup.vm O.sub.z.sup.-2 ;
- where said formula represents the stoichiometry of the basic repeating unit lattice cell;
- where M is the combination of component (a) metal and component (b) metal;
- A when present is at least one different metal which does not substantially alter the optical absorption accruing from M in the above formula;
- O represents oxygen, said formula being further characterized in that r, y, z, va, and vm are defined by the relationship va(r)+vm(y)=2z, wherein r equals a value of from 0 to 2, inclusive, y is from 1 to 2 inclusive, z is from 1 to 7 inclusive, va equals the positive valence of A, vm equals the positive mean valence of M and the valence of oxygen is -2;
- and wherein all said metal components of said formula are selected from the group consisting of boron, aluminum, tin, lead, the transition metals of families 1b through 7b, inclusive and 8 of the periodic table of elements, and lanthanide series;
- wherein M in the formula comprises:
- (a) 50 to 99.9 mole percent, based on the total metals mole fraction, of one or more component (a) metals;
- and
- (b) 0.1 to 50 mole percent, based on the total metals mole fraction, of one or more component (b) metals;
- with the proviso that said component (b) metals are different that said component (a) metals, and with the further proviso that said component (a) metals, when in comparable oxide form, have a larger band gap than said component (b) metals, when said component (b) metals are in their comparable oxide form.
17 more elements
A liquid-junction photoelectrochemical semiconductor cell adapted for producing electricity, fuel, chemicals and/or chemical energy and simultaneously producing thermal energy, using light radiation, comprising the following components:
- I. a first electrode comprising:
- a bulk or film electrode comprising a photoactive true solid/solid solution mixed metal oxide semiconductor material having a band gap of about 1.4 eV and which in the case of a film electrode is disposed on a supporting electrically conductive substrate;
- II. a second electrode comprising:
- a conductive or semiconductive layer which is transparent to that region of the energy spectrum utilized by component (I) and which is disposed on a supporting conductive substrate, wherein said substrate is transparent to said region of the energy spectrum of said desired utilization, further characterized in that said second electrode, if semiconducting, is of opposite conductivity type in relation to said first electrode:
- III. an electrolyte disposed between, and in intimate contact with, both components I and II, further characterized in that said electrolyte is also a thermal transfer medium;
- IV. means for receiving the thermal energy produced;
- V. means for receiving the electrical energy produced;
- wherein component I is further characterized in that said semiconductor material thereof is a photoactive true solid/solid solution semiconductor material derived from precursor substances selected from the group consisting of elemental metals, non-oxide metal compounds, and mixtures thereof;
- said mixed metal oxide material corresponding to the formula A.sub.r va.sub.M.sbsb.y vm.sub.O.sbsb.z.sup.-2 ;
- where said formula represents the stoichiometry of the basic repeating unit lattice cell;
- where M is the combination of component (a) metal and component (b) metal;
- A when present is at least one different metal which does not substantially alter the optical absorption accruing from M in the above formula;
- O represents oxygen, said formula being further characterized in that r, y, z, va and vm are defined by the relationship va(r)+vm(y)=2z, wherein r equals a value of from 0 to 2, inclusive, y is from 1 to 2, inclusive, z is from 1 to 7, inclusive, va equals the positive valence of A, vm equals the positive mean valence of M and the valence of oxygen is -2;
- and wherein all said metal components of said formula are selected from the group consisting of boron, aluminum, tin, lead, the transition metals of families 1b through 7b, inclusive, and 8 of the periodic table of elements, and the lanthanide series;
- wherein M in the above formula comprises:
- (a) 50 to 99.9 mole percent, based on the total metals mole fraction, of one or more component (a) metals;
- and
- (b) 0.1 to 50 mole percent, based on the total metals mole fraction, of one or more component (b) metals;
- with the proviso that said component (b) metals are different than said component (a) metals, and with the further proviso that said component (a) metals, when in comparable oxide form have a larger bandgap than said component (b) metals, when said component (b) metals are in their comparable oxide form.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.