Simplified photogalvanic cell design with promise for the enhanced solar electricity generation and storage

Abstract

Photogalvanicists have conventionally used complicated, multichambered, sophisticated, and very costly cell designs for solar electricity and storage. We authors have simplified cell design with encouraging electrical output as well.We authors have used a simple, cheap, and one-chambered cell design based on cylindrical glass tubes instead of the costly, conventional, and complex Hshaped glass tube-based cell fabrication design. The study has been done under similar electrolytic and illuminating conditions for different cell designs based on various blackened H-shaped glass tubes of the different diffusion lengths, nonblackened simple glass boiling tube, blackened simple glass boiling tube, and simple noncoated glass beakers. Nonblackened glass tube-based cell design has shown very good electrical output, that is, power 439 μW, current 2100 μA, potential 1045 mV, efficiency 6.1%, and storage capacity 130 minutes. Under similar chemical and illuminating conditions, the electrical output of cells fabricated of the simple glass tube is as good as that of the conventional cells made from the complex H-shaped glass tube. Furthermore, the cell design based on a simple cylindrical glass tube is three-edged more advantageous (in terms of the cost, electrical output, and ease of fabrication) over all other cell designs reported so far.

Tropaeline O‐oxalic acid‐benzalkonium chloride photogalvanic cells for solar energy conversion and storage

“…In the present study, the authors have also used a simple cylindrical glass vessel (relatively less D L ) for fabrication of the cell based on tropaeline‐O dye sensitizer (MW 316.27, azo dye with –SO 2 O − Na + and –OH groups), and have observed enhanced electrical output consistent with the reported study. However, the power output (power 829.5 μW, current 3200 μA) of the present study is relatively higher than that of the study reported (power 439 μW, current 2100 μA) 42 . The nature of the dye sensitizer is the main constituent influencing the electrical output of the PG cell.…”

“…Conventionally, the H‐shaped glass tubes have been used to fabricate the PG cell. But, the recent study reported by Koli et al on Congo Red dye sensitizer (MW 696.66, a diazo dye with –SO 2 O − Na + and –NH 2 groups) has shown that the use of simple cylindrical glass vessels is not only cheap but also more efficacious in power generation 42 …”

“…But, the recent study reported by Koli et al on Congo Red dye sensitizer (MW 696.66, a diazo dye with -SO 2 O − Na + and -NH 2 groups) has shown that the use of simple cylindrical glass vessels is not only cheap but also more efficacious in power generation. 42 In the present study, the suitable cell design (favoring fast diffusion) with the favorable photo-sensitizer molecules (having a very low molecular weight and higher diffusivity) has been exploited. In the present study, the authors have also used a simple cylindrical glass vessel (relatively less D L ) for fabrication of the cell based on tropaeline-O dye sensitizer (MW 316.27, azo dye with -SO 2 O − Na + and -OH groups), and have observed enhanced electrical output consistent with the reported study.…”

“…However, the power output (power 829.5 μW, current 3200 μA) of the present study is relatively higher than that of the study reported (power 439 μW, current 2100 μA). 42 The nature of the dye sensitizer is the main constituent influencing the electrical output of the PG cell. In the present study, as observed in Table 3, the greater photo-stability of the tropaeline-O dye sensitizer may be one of the reasons for enhanced power (power 829.5 μW, current 3200 μA of the present study) vis-à-vis the power reported (power 439 μW, current 2100 μA).…”

“…In the present study, as observed in Table 3, the greater photo-stability of the tropaeline-O dye sensitizer may be one of the reasons for enhanced power (power 829.5 μW, current 3200 μA of the present study) vis-à-vis the power reported (power 439 μW, current 2100 μA). 42 Further, the PG cells are diffusion-controlled devices showing higher current value at higher diffusion of ionic species in the electrolyte. The diffusion of the species is favored for lower molecular mass species.…”