Converting environmentally hazardous materials into clean energy using a novel nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell |
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| Authors: | Yong X. Gan Bo J. Gan Evan Clark Lusheng Su Lihua Zhang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA;2. Ottawa Hills High School, 2532 Evergreen Road, Toledo, OH 43606, USA;3. Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA;1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;2. Sustainable Environment Research Center, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan;1. Engineering Science Dept., University of Patras, 26500 Patras, Greece;2. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy;3. FORTH/ICE-HT, P.O. Box 1414, 26504 Patras, Greece;1. Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Xuefu Road 999, Nanchang 330031, PR China;2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang University, Xuefu Road 999, Nanchang 330031, PR China;1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26500 Patras, Greece;2. FORTH/ICE-HT, P.O. Box 1414, 26504 Patras, Greece |
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| Abstract: | In this work, a novel photoelectrochemical fuel cell consisting of a titanium dioxide nanotube array photosensitive anode and a platinum cathode was made for decomposing environmentally hazardous materials to produce electricity and clean fuel. Titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) were prepared via electrochemical oxidation of pure Ti in an ammonium fluoride and glycerol-containing solution. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the morphology of the nanotubes. The average diameter, wall thickness and length of the as-prepared TiO2 NTs were determined. The photosensitive anode made from the highly ordered TiO2 NTs has good photo-catalytic property, as proven by the decomposition tests on urea, ammonia, sodium sulfide and automobile engine coolant under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To improve the efficiency of the fuel cell, doping the TiO2 NTs with a transition metal oxide, NiO, was performed and the photosensitivity of the doped anode was tested under visible light irradiation. It is found that the NiO-doped anode is sensitive to visible light. Also found is that polyaniline-doped photosensitive anode can harvest photon energy in the visible light spectrum range much more efficiently than the NiO-doped one. It is concluded that the nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell can generate electricity and clean fuel by decomposing hazardous materials under sunlight. |
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