Photoelectrochemical Cells
Types of Photoelectrochemical Cell | Buy Photoelectrochemical Cells | How Does a Photoelectrochemical Cell Work?
What are the Applications of Photoelectrochemical Cells? | About Our PEC Cells
A photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) is an appliance that utilizes light energy for the conversion of chemical energy or electricity. Light activates a semiconductor or photosensitizer component within the cell and either generates electrical energy (similar to how dye-sensitized solar cells work) or drives chemical reactions that store energy by forming chemical bonds, such as producing hydrogen through water splitting. These can be used to study photochemical processes in situ.
The key difference between standard electrochemical cells and photoelectrochemical cells is the integration of an optical window for convenient and directed light transmission onto the working electrode, while maintaining a sealed electrochemical environment. This window is usually made of quartz glass or other UV-transparent materials, allowing high transmission.
Another key requirement is that photochemical experiments require a photoactive working electrode.
Types of Photoelectrochemical Cell
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells come in a variety of body designs tailored for specific research and application needs.
- Glass PEC cells are known for their clarity and chemical resistance, making them ideal for standard light-driven experiments.
- PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) PEC cells, meanwhile, offer superior chemical inertness and thermal stability, making them suitable for more demanding or corrosive environments.
Both options can employ either a two or three-electrode system using a platinum disc working electrode, a counter electrode, and an optional reference electrode.
Other desired features in photoelectrochemical cells include:
- H-type PEC cells with a dual-chamber design and are ideal for gas-phase studies and advanced photoelectrochemical measurements where light access and separation of reaction products are critical.
- Glass PEC cells with water baths provide precise temperature control during experiments, making them valuable for studies that require consistent thermal conditions.
Flow photoelectrochemical cells flows solution through the cell, ensuring a constant supply of fresh electrolyte during operation, improving mass transport within the system. This also helps remove the reaction products, reducing concentration gradients near the electrode surface and supporting more stable operating conditions.
These systems are particularly suited for high-throughput or continuous operation studies. They can also be used for scaling photoelectrochemical processes that require steady-state conditions. Flow cells are especially useful experiments where mass transport limitations can influence performance, such as CO₂ reduction. In these reactions, product build-up or depletion of reactants can significantly affect reaction efficiency and observed photocurrent.
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How Does a Photoelectrochemical Cell Work?
Components
Photoelectrochemical cells are composed of a working electrode, counter electrode, electrolyte and optionally a reference electrode. The working electrode is photoactive and can absorb light to generate charge carriers.
The working electrode, also referred to as a photoanode, is normally an n- or p-type semiconductor, i.e. a polymer semiconductor on an ITO/FTO substrate, held by a platinum plate electrode holder. The counter electrode can be platinum or platinum free, i.e. multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT).
The critical component of the photoelectrochemical cell is the photosensitizer (semiconductor) on the working electrode. Electron-hole pairs are generated by the irradiation of photons with an energy level that is equal to or greater than the bandgap (Eg) of the semiconductor. When light illuminates the photoanode, electrons in the valence band (VB) get excited to the conduction band (CB), and leave a hole behind.
Production of electricity
For the production of electricity, photogenerated electrons are swept toward the conducting back contact. They then diffuse through the bulk semiconductor to the external circuit. The electrical energy produced and stored in this process is similar to the a photovoltaic dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The holes are driven to the semiconductor surface and get scavanged by the reduced redox species to become oxidized. The separated electrons which have traveled to the counter electrode then reduce the oxidized species and so on. The regenerative cycle allows for continued electrical current generation.
Chemical reactions
Both the excited electrons and the holes left behind in the photoelectrodes will be involved in some form of chemical reactions, i.e. water splitting. At the counter electrode, the electrons reduce protons (H+) to form hydrogen (H2) while the photogenerated holes at the photoanode oxidize water (or OH-) to form oxygen (O2).
What are the Applications of Photoelectrochemical Cells?
Photoelectrochemical cells are light or solar energy driven and they offer a promising potential applications in clean energy capture, energy production and storage and light-emitting devices.
- Water splitting for hydrogen fuel production
- To reduce CO2 into desirable products such as methane and methanol that can be directly used as fuel
- Photoelectrochemical dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by incorporating dyes such as N719 which absorb light and oxidize within the system
- Photoelectrochemical perovskite solar cells
About Our Cells
Single Photoelectrochemical Cell
| Glass Photoelectrochemical Cell | Glass Photoelectrochemical Cell with Water Bath | PTFE Photoelectrochemical Cell | |
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| Advantages | Simple, single cell. Good for basic photocurrent measurements, preliminary screening and evaluation. | Good for long-term stability tests that require temperature control. Increases accuracy and repeatability of experiments. | Superior chemical inertness and thermal stability compared to glass. |
| Example Uses | Screening of new semiconductor thin films for photocurrent response under chopped illumination. | Temperature control where light exposure may heat the apparatus altering the kinetics of the electrochemical reaction. | For corrosive experiments. |
Photoelectrochemical H-Cell
| Photoelectrochemical H-Cell | Photoelectrochemical H-Cell With Water Bath | PTFE Photoelectrochemical Cell | |
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| Advantages | Individual compartments can be independently controlled. Product cross over limited, supporting gas evolution, reaction selectivity and long-term stability. | Individual temperature control over each cell, as well as less cross contamination. | Double window allows illumination of both cells, enabling two photoelectrodes to operate simulataneously. |
| Example Uses | Photo-driven or photo-assisted water splitting studies, CO2 reduction, any other experiments requiring product collection or gas seperation. | Temperature control where light exposure may heat the apparatus altering the kinetics of the electrochemical reaction. | Testing tandem photochemical systems (with reduced external bias required), independent studies of anodic and cathodic photo responses under identical experimental conditions. |
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Resources and Support
What is an Electrochemical Cell?
An electrochemical cell is defined as a device that generates electrical energy from chemical reactions or uses electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. The simplest possible electrochemical cell consists of two connected electrodes in an electrolyte solution.
Read more...
What is a Redox Reaction?
A redox reaction, also referred to as an oxidation-reduction reaction, involves the loss or gain of electrons. The loss of electrons is called oxidation and the gain of the electrons reduction.
Read more...References
- Hodes, G. et al. (2012).Photoelectrochemical Cell Measurements: Getting the Basics Right. J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 9. doi:10.1021/jz300220b
- Hsu, CY. et al. (2024). Improvement of the photoelectric dye sensitized solar cell performance using Fe/S–TiO2 nanoparticles as photoanode electrode. Sci Rep, 14. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54895-z
- Fehr, A.M.K. et al. (2023). Integrated halide perovskite photoelectrochemical cells with solar-driven water-splitting efficiency of 20.8%. Nat Commun, 14. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39290-y