Fabrication of a SnO₂-Based Hydroelectric Cell for Green Energy Production

Abstract

The generation of electricity by dissociating water into H 3 O + and OH − ions through a hydroelectric cell (HEC) without liberating any toxic waste has achieved a groundbreaking feat. Nanoporous magnesium-doped SnO 2 and cobalt-doped SnO 2 materials have been prepared via a novel sol−gel method. The X-ray diffraction patterns of Mg-doped SnO 2 and Co-doped SnO 2 completely match with those of pure SnO 2 , which confirms the interstitial substitution of Mg and Co in the pristine SnO 2 . The results shown by Brunauer−Emmett−Teller theory curves illustrate the surface area of Mg-doped SnO 2 and Co-doped SnO 2 to be 46.22 and 46.81 m 2 /g, respectively, with their pore radii being ∼3 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles were pressed into square pellets of area 4.08 cm 2 . A zinc electrode was pasted on one side of each pellet and silver was painted on the other side to develop the HECs. The fabricated HECs of Mg-doped SnO 2 and Co-doped SnO 2 with 4.08 cm 2 area deliver short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, and off-load output power of 41.69 mA, 0.787 V, and 32.81 mW and 77.52 mA, 0.454 V, and 35.19 mW, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry of both materials exhibited cathodic and anodic peaks in relation to the redox reactions taking place at Zn and silver electrodes. Nyquist curves of both HECs in the wet state confirm the ionic diffusion of split H 3 O + and OH − ions as compared to the dry state. An off-load output power of 35.19 mW delivered by the HEC of Co-doped SnO 2 with 4.08 cm 2 area is quite promising and has great potential to replace other green energy sources.

Electricity generation by splitting of water from hydroelectric cell: An alternative to solar cell and fuel cell

“…It is explicitly from the comparative analysis that current density of HEC is improving with short span of time. 19,41,78 The graphene oxide-based battery from electrochemical method yielded maximum power output of 2 μW in the presence of electrolyte. 15 The cement matrix based composite battery generates voltage of 0.72 V with current per unit area of 0.0038 mA/cm 2 .…”

“…Different types of water based energy sources using external energy have been explored and a comparison of correlation between voltage and current densities is represented by bar chart in Figure 8A,B. It is explicitly from the comparative analysis that current density of HEC is improving with short span of time 19,41,78 . The graphene oxide‐based battery from electrochemical method yielded maximum power output of 2 μW in the presence of electrolyte 15 .…”

“…Hydrogen gas has multidimensional applications in food industries, refinery, fuel cell, cutting/welding, metallurgical industries 74‐78 . It can be commercially produced by different processes like electrolysis of water, fossil fuel and gasification of coal 79,80 .…”

“…Hydrogen gas has multidimensional applications in food industries, refinery, fuel cell, cutting/welding, metallurgical industries. [74][75][76][77][78] It can be commercially produced by different processes like electrolysis of water, fossil fuel and gasification of coal. 79,80 However, each process has its own challenges, like high input current density, high temperature, and CO 2 emission.…”

Highly Accelerated, Sustainable, Abundant Water Splitting at Room Temperature Generating Green Electricity by Sb-Doped SnO2 Hydroelectric Cell

“…The device adsorbs and spontaneously chemi-dissociates water molecules on defective material surfaces into H + and OH – ions at room temperature. Nanopores in the cell material act as trapping centers for hopping protons, which generate a high electric potential inside the nanopore and sustained splitting of physisorbed water molecules. ,− It has been observed that surface defect states, such as oxygen vacancies, interstitials, and unsaturated surface bonds, enhance active sites for water molecule attraction and the chemi-dissociation reaction. , Doping of metal ions has been found to be very effective to enhance the defect concentration, which improved the current generation by SnO 2 -based HEC . Antimony (Sb) doping has been reported to largely increase the surface area and defect concentration in SnO 2 nanoparticles. − It occupies Sn 4+ sites in the rutile structure of SnO 2 , and surface enrichment of Sb 5+ ions has been found to be responsible for increased surface conductivity .…”