Photoelectrochemical reaction device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372270-A1
Application number	US-201615252932-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A photoelectrochemical reaction device in an embodiment includes: first and second photovoltaic cells each including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photovoltaic layer; first and second reaction electrode pairs each including a third electrode and a fourth electrode; and an electrolytic bath storing a first electrolytic solution in which the third electrodes are immersed and a second electrolytic solution in which the fourth electrodes are immersed. One of the third and fourth electrodes causes an oxidation reaction, and the other of the third and fourth electrodes causes a reduction reaction. The first photovoltaic cell is electrically connected to the first reaction electrode pair, and the second photovoltaic cell is electrically connected to the second reaction electrode pair.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A photoelectrochemical reaction device, comprising:
a first photovoltaic cell comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photovoltaic layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; a second photovoltaic cell comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photovoltaic layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; a reaction electrode pair comprising at least one third electrode and two divided fourth electrodes, one of the third and fourth electrodes causing an oxidation reaction, and the other of the third and fourth electrodes causing a reduction reaction; a first connecting member electrically connecting the first electrodes of the first and second photovoltaic cells to the third electrode of the reaction electrode pair; a second connecting member electrically connecting the second electrode of the first photovoltaic cell to one of the two fourth electrodes of the reaction electrode pair; a third connecting member electrically connecting the second electrode of the second photovoltaic cell to the other of the two fourth electrodes of the reaction electrode pair; and an electrolytic bath storing a first electrolytic solution in which at least the third electrode is immersed and a second electrolytic solution in which at least the fourth electrodes are immersed.

2 . The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the reaction electrode pair comprises two of the third electrodes which are divided; and wherein the first connecting member comprises a connecting member which electrically connects the first electrode of the first photovoltaic cell to one of the two third electrodes of the reaction electrode pair, and a connecting member which electrically connects the first electrode of the second photovoltaic cell to the other of the two third electrodes of the reaction electrode pair.

3 . The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the reaction electrode pair comprises one of the third electrode; and wherein the first connecting member electrically connects the first electrodes of the first and second photovoltaic cells to the third electrode of the reaction electrode pair.

4 . The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electrolytic bath comprises a first storage part which stores the first electrolytic solution, a second storage part which stores the second electrolytic solution, and an ion migration layer which is provided to separate the first electrolytic solution and the second electrolytic solution; and wherein the first and second photovoltaic cells are arranged outside the electrolytic bath.

5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second photovoltaic cells comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected.

6 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an oxidation catalyst layer provided on one of the third and fourth electrodes; and a reduction catalyst layer provided on the other of the third and fourth electrodes.

7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the third and fourth electrodes oxidizes water to generate oxygen and hydrogen ions, and the other of the third and fourth electrodes reduces carbon dioxide to generate a carbon compound.

8 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic layer comprises at least one of a pin-junction semiconductor and a pn-junction semiconductor.

9 . A photoelectrochemical reaction device, comprising:
a photovoltaic cell comprising two divided first electrodes, one second electrode, a first photovoltaic layer provided between one of the first electrodes and the second electrode, and a second photovoltaic layer provided between the other of the first electrodes and the second electrode, each of the two first electrodes causing one of an oxidation reaction and a reduction reaction; a reaction electrode causing the other of the oxidation reaction and the reduction reaction; a connecting member electrically connecting the second electrode to the reaction electrode; and an electrolytic bath storing a first electrolytic solution in which the photovoltaic cell is immersed and a second electrolytic solution in which the reaction electrode is immersed.

10 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein the electrolytic bath comprises an ion migration layer provided between the photovoltaic cell and the reaction electrode.

11 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein the photovoltaic cell comprises an insulating member arranged to electrically insulate a first stack having one of the first electrodes and the first photovoltaic layer from a second stack having the other of the first electrodes and the second photovoltaic layer.

12 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein the photovoltaic layer comprises at least one of a pin-junction semiconductor and a pn-junction semiconductor.

13 . A photoelectrochemical reaction device, comprising:
a photovoltaic cell comprising two divided first electrodes, one second electrode, a first photovoltaic layer provided between one of the first electrodes and the second electrode, and a second photovoltaic layer provided between the other of the first electrodes and the second electrode, one of the first and second electrodes causing an oxidation reaction and the other of the first and second electrodes causing a reduction reaction; and an electrolytic bath storing a first electrolytic solution with which the two first electrodes are in contact and a second electrolytic solution with which the second electrode is in contact.

14 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the electrolytic bath comprises an ion migration layer provided to separate the first electrolytic solution and the second electrolytic solution.

15 . The device according to claim 13 , wherein the photovoltaic layer comprises at least one of a pin-junction semiconductor and a pn-junction semiconductor.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kudo Yuki
• Mikoshiba Satoshi
• Ono Akihiko
• Tamura Jun
• Tsutsumi Eishi
• Kitagawa Ryota
• Sugano Yoshitsune

Classifications

• H01G9/2004

  characterised by the electrolyte, e.g. comprising an organic electrolyte · CPC title

• Y02E10/542

  Dye sensitized solar cells · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• H01G9/2013 Primary

  the electrolyte comprising ionic liquids, e.g. alkyl imidazolium iodide · CPC title

• C25B13/08

  based on organic materials · CPC title