STABILIZATION METHOD FOR VISIBLE LIGHT RESPONSIVE SEMICONDUCTOR PHOTOELECTRODE, AND WATER DECOMPOSITION REACTION DEVICE USING THE METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stabilization method for a photoelectrode capable of improving the stability in photoreaction of its semiconductor material without using a sacrifice reductant agent, and preventing reduction in efficiency, in photo-electrochemical reaction using a visible light responsive n-type semiconductor containing a metal element and oxygen as the photoelectrode.SOLUTION: The same metal element ions as a configuration element of a semiconductor is dissolved in reaction solution. A valence of the metal element ions in the reaction solution is set to be a high oxidation number that is stable in a steady state of the reaction, and thereby, the stability of a visible light responsive semiconductor photoelectrode can be improved.