Reversible photogalvanic cells for the conversion of solar radiation into electricity
US4022950A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1976 |
| Grant date | May 10, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01G9/20
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A device to convert solar energy into electricity, making use of the reversible photogalvanic principle. This principle is based on the spontaneous light and dark reactions between two electrochemical half cells constructed from a reversible electrochemical reaction. The device uses photosensitizers that operate in a broad band infrared spectral region. The specific photosensitizer used is chlorophyll a coated on a platinum electrode suspended in an ionic salt solution on one side of the cell and a platinum electrode is also suspended on the other side of the half cell in a hydroquinone solution, and the electrodes are electrically connected, these solutions are interconnected by a salt bridge which permits the flow of cation charge reversibly between said first and second half cells upon on-off light irradiation of the chlorophyll coated electrode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.