Abstract
One of the effective ways of utilizing marine environments is to generate energy, power, and hydrogen via the effect of photocatalysts in the seawater. Since the ocean is vast, we are able to use its large area, but the power generation system must be of low cost and have high durability against both force and corrosion. In order to meet those requirements, this study focuses on the fabrication of a novel marine wet solar cell composed of a titanium dioxide photoanode and a copper oxide photocathode. These electrodes were deposited on type 329J4L stainless steel, which possesses relative durability in marine environments. This study focuses on the characterization of the photocatalytic properties of electrodes in seawater. Low-cost manufacturing processes of screen-printing and vacuum vapor deposition were applied to produce the titanium dioxide and copper oxides electrodes, respectively. We investigated the photopotential of the electrodes, along with the electrochemical properties and cell voltage properties of the cell. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) of the copper oxides electrode was analyzed in association with the loss of photocatalytic effect in the copper oxides electrode. Although the conversion efficiency of the wet cell was less than 1%, it showed promising potential for use in marine environments with low-cost production. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the cell was also conducted, from which impedance values regarding the electrical properties of electrodes and their interfaces of charge-transfer processes were obtained. This study focuses on the early phase of the marine wet solar cell, which should be further studied for long-term stability and in actual marine environmental applications.
Highlights
To counter the effects of global warming and climate change caused by the release of greenhouse gases and the exhaustion of fossil-related energy resources, it is vitally important to increase the use of alternative, renewable, and relatively clean energy resources in order to meet the high demand for energy and to secure the development goals of humanity
When light was the photocatalytic of each caused the over reactions the surface ofirradiated, each electrode
This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to focus on the fabrication of a low-cost novel marine wet solar cell with a titanium dioxide photoanode and a copper oxides photocathode instead of a platinum counter-electrode The purpose is to effectively utilize the marine environment for the harvesting of light
Summary
To counter the effects of global warming and climate change caused by the release of greenhouse gases and the exhaustion of fossil-related energy resources, it is vitally important to increase the use of alternative, renewable, and relatively clean energy resources (e.g., solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal) in order to meet the high demand for energy and to secure the development goals of humanity. Among those energy sources, solar energy is regarded as the most abundantly available and virtually infinite energy source [1,2]. We consider the early phase of characterization of a novel marine wet solar cell using two photocatalyst electrodes and a seawater electrolyte
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