Photogalvanic cells based on lyotropic nanosystems: towards the use of liquid nanotechnology for personalised energy sources

Halls, Jonathan E.; Wadhawan, Jay D.

Abstract

A lightweight, autonomous and practical, proof-of-concept electrical power source is developed within this work. It comprises a photoredox-active material embedded within the non-ionic surfactant subphase, with a second redox reagent present within the aqueous pseudophase of a lamellar (La) lyotropic liquid crystal framework, which is sandwiched between two electrodes, one of which acts in a sacrificial manner. This quasi-biphasic, entirely new-concept, electrochemical cell, based on electron transfer, rather than ion transfer, is shown to act as a photogalvanic device which, under violet light, is demonstrated to exhibit maximum light-to-electrical power conversion efficiency of ca. 2% (fill factor of 15%), with additional ability to act as an electrically-rechargeable electrochemical capacitor of voltage efficiency 85% and power efficiency 80%, and with estimated maximum energy density of 1 W h kg1 at a power density of 1 kW kg1.

Citation

Halls, J. E., & Wadhawan, J. D. (2012). Photogalvanic cells based on lyotropic nanosystems: towards the use of liquid nanotechnology for personalised energy sources. Energy & environmental science, 5(4), 6541-6551. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2ee03169h

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2012
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Energy & Environmental Science
• Print ISSN: 1754-5692
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 6541-6551
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c2ee03169h
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/468192
• Contract Date: Nov 13, 2014