Issue 7, 2018

Solar driven electrochromic photoelectrochemical fuel cells for simultaneous energy conversion, storage and self-powered sensing

Abstract

One solar-driven electrochromic photoelectrochemical fuel cell (PFC) with highly efficient energy conversion and storage is easily constructed to achieve quantitative self-powered sensing. Layered bismuth oxyiodide–zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZnO@BiOI NRA) with a core/shell p–n heterostructure are fabricated as the photoanode with electrochromic Prussian blue (PB) as the cathode. The core/shell p–n heterostructure for the ZnO@BiOI photoanode can effectively boost the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance through the improvement of photon absorption and charge carrier separation. The optimal assembled PFC yields an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.48 V with the maximum power output density (Pmax) as high as 155 μW cm−2 upon illumination. Benefitting from the interactive color-changing behavior of PB, the cathode not only exhibits cathodic catalytic activity in the PFC but also serves as an electrochromic display for self-powered sensing. The as-constructed PFC possesses multiple readable signal output nanochannels through the maximum power output density (Pmax) of the PFC or the color change of PB. Meanwhile, the dual-signal-output makes the as-constructed self-powered sensor highly available in various operations demands with the enhanced reliability. With the advantages of high efficiency of PFCs, unique assay ability, and broad environmental suitability, the constructed self-powered platform shows broad application prospects as an integrated smart analytical device.

Graphical abstract: Solar driven electrochromic photoelectrochemical fuel cells for simultaneous energy conversion, storage and self-powered sensing

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Dec 2017
Accepted
11 Jan 2018
First published
12 Jan 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 3421-3428

Solar driven electrochromic photoelectrochemical fuel cells for simultaneous energy conversion, storage and self-powered sensing

Y. Wang, L. Zhang, K. Cui, C. Xu, H. Li, H. Liu and J. Yu, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 3421 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR09275J

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