Hydrogen generation electrode and artificial photosynthesis module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10030311-B2
Application number	US-201715413717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A hydrogen generation electrode is used for an artificial photosynthesis module that decomposes an electrolytic aqueous solution into hydrogen and oxygen with light. The hydrogen generation electrode has a conductive layer, an inorganic semiconductor layer that is provided on the conductive layer and has a pn junction, and a functional layer that covers an inorganic semiconductor layer. The steam permeability of the functional layer is 5 g/(m2·day) or less.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydrogen generation electrode for an artificial photosynthesis module that decomposes an electrolytic aqueous solution into hydrogen and oxygen with light, the hydrogen generation electrode comprising:
a conductive layer;
an inorganic semiconductor layer that is provided on the conductive layer and has a pn junction; and
a functional layer that covers the inorganic semiconductor layer,
wherein the functional layer is made of amorphous ITO,
a steam permeability of the functional layer is 5 g/(m 2 ·day) or less, and
the functional layer is in contact with the electrolytic aqueous solution.

2. A hydrogen generation electrode for an artificial photosynthesis module that decomposes an electrolytic aqueous solution into hydrogen and oxygen with light, the hydrogen generation electrode comprising:
a conductive layer;
an inorganic semiconductor layer that is provided on the conductive layer and has a pn junction; and
a functional layer that covers the inorganic semiconductor layer,
wherein the functional layer includes a plurality of layers, and has an amorphous ITO layer and at least one layer of an inorganic layer or an organic layer,
the amorphous ITO layer is disposed opposite to the inorganic semiconductor layer,
a steam permeability of the functional layer is 5 g/(m 2 ·day) or less, and
the amorphous ITO layer of the functional layer is in contact with the electrolytic aqueous solution.

3. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 2 ,
wherein the functional layer is configured such that the organic layer, the inorganic layer and the amorphous ITO layer are disposed in this order over the conductive layer.

4. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 1 ,
wherein PV≤t is satisfied when a thickness of the functional layer is t and a peak-valley value in a surface of the inorganic semiconductor layer is PV.

5. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 2 ,
wherein PV≤t is satisfied when a thickness of the functional layer is t and a peak-valley value in a surface of the inorganic semiconductor layer is PV.

6. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 3 ,
wherein PV≤t is satisfied when a thickness of the functional layer is t and a peak-valley value in a surface of the inorganic semiconductor layer is PV.

7. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 1 ,
wherein the inorganic semiconductor layer includes any one of a CIGS compound semiconductor, a CZTS compound semiconductor and a CGSe compound semiconductor.

8. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 2 ,
wherein the inorganic semiconductor layer includes any one of a CIGS compound semiconductor, a CZTS compound semiconductor and a CGSe compound semiconductor.

9. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 3 ,
wherein the inorganic semiconductor layer includes any one of a CIGS compound semiconductor, a CZTS compound semiconductor and a CGSe compound semiconductor.

10. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 4 ,
wherein the inorganic semiconductor layer includes any one of a CIGS compound semiconductor, a CZTS compound semiconductor and a CGSe compound semiconductor.

11. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 5 ,
wherein the inorganic semiconductor layer includes any one of a CIGS compound semiconductor, a CZTS compound semiconductor and a CGSe compound semiconductor.

12. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 1 ,
wherein the functional layer has platinum carried as a co-catalyst on a surface thereof.

13. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 2 ,
wherein the functional layer has platinum carried as a co-catalyst on a surface thereof.

14. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 3 ,
wherein the functional layer has platinum carried as a co-catalyst on a surface thereof.

15. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 4 ,
wherein the functional layer has platinum carried as a co-catalyst on a surface thereof.

16. The hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 5 ,
wherein the functional layer has platinum carried as a co-catalyst on a surface thereof.

17. An artificial photosynthesis module comprising:
the hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 1 ; and
an oxygen generation electrode.

18. An artificial photosynthesis module comprising:
the hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 2 ; and
an oxygen generation electrode.

19. An artificial photosynthesis module comprising:
the hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 3 ; and
an oxygen generation electrode.

20. An artificial photosynthesis module comprising:
the hydrogen generation electrode according to claim 4 ; and
an oxygen generation electrode.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp
• Japan Tech Research Association Of Artificial Photosynthetic Chemical Process
• Univ Tokyo

Inventors

• Sato Naotoshi
• Domen Kazunari

Classifications

• H01G9/2045

  comprising a semiconductor electrode comprising elements of the fourth group of the Periodic Table with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials · CPC title

• C01B13/0207

  Water · CPC title

• C25B11/0478

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B1/003

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B9/06

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic