Electrolysis electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009574-A1
Application number	US-201514607204-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water purification anode has a first semiconductor contacting a second semiconductor at a heterojunction. The second semiconductor includes TiO 2 and excludes bismuth and niobium. The first semiconductor includes iridium. In some instances, the anode includes a current collector in direct physical contact with the first semiconductor. The anode can be arranged in water such that at least one face of the second semiconductor is in direct physical contact with the water.

First claim

1 . A water purification system, comprising:
an anode having a first semiconductor contacting a second semiconductor at a heterojunction,
at least one face of the second semiconductor being in direct contact with water that includes organic materials,
the second semiconductor including TiO 2 and excluding bismuth and niobium, and
the first semiconductor including iridium.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes Sb, F, Cl, Sb, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes dopants.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor consists of TiO 2 .

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor is in direct contact with a current collector.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor includes oxygen.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first semiconductor includes one or more stabilizing elements selected from the group consisting of Ta, Si, Sn, Ti, Sb, and Zr.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first semiconductor includes tantalum.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first semiconductor consists of iridium, tantalum, and oxygen.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor excludes bismuth and niobium.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first semiconductor excludes dopants.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein hydroxyl radicals are physisorbed to the at least one face of the anode.

13 . A water purification anode, comprising:
a first semiconductor contacting a second semiconductor at a heterojunction,
at least one face of the second semiconductor being in direct contact with water that includes organic materials,
the second semiconductor including TiO 2 and excluding bismuth, and
the first semiconductor including iridium.

14 . The anode of claim 13 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes Sb, F, Cl, Sb, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta.

15 . The anode of claim 13 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes dopants.

16 . The anode of claim 13 , wherein the second semiconductor consists of TiO 2 .

17 . The anode of claim 13 , wherein the anode includes a current collector in direct contact with the first semiconductor.

18 . A method of operating a water purification system, comprising:
contacting an anode with water that includes organic materials; and applying to the anode an anodic potential that is sufficient to generate hydroxyl radicals bound to the surface of the anode,
the anode including a first semiconductor contacting a second semiconductor at a heterojunction,
the second semiconductor including TiO 2 and excluding bismuth and niobium, and
the first semiconductor including iridium.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes Sb, F, Cl, Sb, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second semiconductor excludes dopants.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Hoffmann Michael R
• Cho Kangwoo

Classifications

• C02F2101/30

  Organic compounds · CPC title

• C02F2001/46133

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• C02F1/46109 Primary

  Electrodes · CPC title

• C25B11/073

  characterised by the electrocatalyst material · CPC title

• C02F1/4674

  with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine · CPC title