Nanocomposite Photoelectrochemical Cells

Efficiencies greater than those of state-of-the-art cells are predicted.

Improved, solid-state photoelectrochemical cells for converting solar radiation to electricity have been proposed. (In general, photoelectrochemical cells convert incident light to electricity through electrochemical reactions.) It is predicted that in comparison with state-of-the-art photoelectrochemical cells, these cells will be found to operate with greater solar-toelectric energy-conversion efficiencies.

The proposed cells could be fabricated by layering nanocomposites of active particles with organic binders on flexible polymer substrates. Each cell would contain a dye-sensitized semiconductor electrode, a protonconducting solid electrolyte, and a solid-state proton-intercalation counter electrode. By designing the cells to rely on protons as the charge carriers, it should be possible to enable the cells to sustain rates of transport and concentrations of charge carriers greater than those of state-of-the-art photoelectrochemical cells designed to rely on hole conduction and organic semiconductors. The proposed cell configuration is expected to minimize the incidence of recombination of holes and electrons, thereby minimizing the energy losses associated with them and thereby, further, contributing to greater energy-conversion efficiencies.

This work was done by Sri R. Narayan, Andrew Kindler, and Jay F. Whitacre of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white paper) at www.techbriefs.com/tsp under the Electronics/ Computers category. In accordance with Public Law 96-517, the contractor has elected to retain title to this invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its commercial use should be addressed to: Innovative Technology Assets Management JPL Mail Stop 202-233 4800 Oak Grove Drive Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 (818) 354-2240 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Refer to NPO-40539, volume and number of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the page number.

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This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).

Nanocomposite Photoelectrochemical Cells (reference NPO-40539) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

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