Patent ID: 8188362
Filing Date: 2012-05-29
Classification: H01G,H01L,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A photophysicochemical cell which generates photoelectric current exclusively under applied light without application or inputting of any substantial external voltage and without application or inputting of pH chemical bias to the cell, comprising: (i) a liquid phase medium comprising an electron donor compound or an aqueous solution of an electron donor compound, (ii) a photoanode electrode formed of a porous semiconductor material and inserted in said liquid phase medium or said aqueous solution, (iii) a counter cathode electrode formed of an electrically conductive material capable of reducing oxygen and inserted in said liquid phase medium or said aqueous solution, and (iv) an external circuit connecting said anode electrode and said counter cathode electrode with an external conducting wire, wherein (a) said liquid phase medium or said aqueous solution also comprises oxygen, (b) said porous semiconductor material functions as a porous electrically conductive material in an ultraviolet radiation, (c) said porous semiconductor material comprises a thin layer of a member selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide (TiO (d) when light is applied to said photoanode electrode said electron donor compound is oxidatively photolyzed at said anode electrode and oxygen is reduced at said counter cathode electrode and a photoelectric current is generated in said external circuit, and (e) said photophysicochemical cell oxidatively photolyzes said electron donor compound and generates photoelectric current exclusively under applied light without application or inputting of any substantial external voltage and without application or inputting of pH chemical bias to the cell.