Hybrid photoelectrochemical-fuel cell

IEC 235

Ana L. Moore1, Devens Gust1, Thomas A. Moore1, Tadashi Sotomura2, Linda de la Garza1, Goojin Jeong1, and Paul A. Liddell1. (1) Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, (2) Advanced Technology Reserach Laboratory, National/Panasonic, 3-1-1 Yagumonakamachi, Moriguchi, Osaka, 570-8501, Japan
A hybrid photoelectrochemical cell has been assembled. It consists of an indium-tin oxide photoanode coated with nanoparticulate tin oxide to which a porphyrin-based sensitizer dye (D) is adsorbed. Excitation of D leads to electron injection into the nanoparticles, making the anodic Fermi level more negative and producing D+. D is regenerated by oxidation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide couple which is recycled to its reduced form, NAD(P)H, via oxidation of methanol, ethanol, glucose, or glucose-6-phosphate and their oxidation products by NAD-linked dehydrogenase enzymes. NAD(P)+ is not reduced at either the photoanode or the cathode; NAD(P)H is not oxidized in the dark. The use of light to push the Fermi level of the photoanode to more negative values and the choice of a variety of cathodes are features that potentially allow optimization of power output of the hybrid cell over that of either a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell or a biofuel cell.