Integrating a dual-silicon photoelectrochemical cell into a redox flow battery for unassisted photocharging
Open Access
- 4 May 2016
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Communications
- Vol. 7 (1), 11474
- https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11474
Abstract
Solar rechargeable flow cells (SRFCs) provide an attractive approach for in situ capture and storage of intermittent solar energy via photoelectrochemical regeneration of discharged redox species for electricity generation. However, overall SFRC performance is restricted by inefficient photoelectrochemical reactions. Here we report an efficient SRFC based on a dual-silicon photoelectrochemical cell and a quinone/bromine redox flow battery for in situ solar energy conversion and storage. Using narrow bandgap silicon for efficient photon collection and fast redox couples for rapid interface charge injection, our device shows an optimal solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of ∼5.9% and an overall photon–chemical–electricity energy conversion efficiency of ∼3.2%, which, to our knowledge, outperforms previously reported SRFCs. The proposed SRFC can be self-photocharged to 0.8 V and delivers a discharge capacity of 730 mAh l−1. Our work may guide future designs for highly efficient solar rechargeable devices.This publication has 39 references indexed in Scilit:
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