A Dye Sensitized Photoelectrosynthesis Cell (DSPEC) splits water with visible light using a derivatized core/shell nano-structured photoanode, with the core having a high surface area conductive metal oxide film — such as nanoITO (indium tin oxide) or nanoATO (antimony tin oxide) — coated with a thin outer shell of, for example, TiO2, formed by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). A “chromophore-catalyst assembly” 1, [(PO3H2)2bpy)2Ru(4-Mebpy-4-bimpy)Ru(tpy)(OH2)]4+, which combines both light absorber and water oxidation catalyst in a single molecule, is attached to the TiO2 shell. Visible photolysis of the resulting core/shell/assembly structure with a Pt cathode results in water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen.
This is the sixth granted U.S. patent based on AMPED EFRC research.
Solar Water Splitting in a Molecular Photoelectrochemical Cell, Alibabaei, L.; Brennaman, M. K.; Norris, M.; Parsons, G. N.; Meyer, T. J., U.S. Patent 10,119,197, issued 11/6/2018.