PHOTOASSISTED HIGH EFFICIENCY CONVERSION OF CARBON-CONTAINING FUELS TO ELECTRICITY

摘要

Electricity is generated by oxidizing a carbon-containing fuel in a photoelectrochemical fuel cell via a cyclic oxidation pathway to yield carbon dioxide and water, and collecting the electrons released via the cyclic oxidation pathway to yield a flow of electrons. The cyclic oxidation pathway includes a series of reactions including oxidation reactions, at least one of which is a photooxidation reaction. Photooxidation triggers one or more dark oxidation reactions, thereby increasing the efficiency of the photoelectrochemical fuel cell.