Artificial Photosynthesis Essay

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Artificial photosynthesis: Using titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst which accelerates processes relating to light and, in this case, energy. Photoelectrochemical cells, also referred to as PECs, use the electric current of water to create hydrogen and oxygen in a process called electrolysis. Electricity can then be stored in the hydrogen, which carries energy (and is therefore a so called “energy carrier”) and the energy can be used later, such as in batteries. There are two types of PECs, the first uses semiconductor surfaces to absorb the solar energy and help split water molecules for energy use. The second kind uses dissolved metals which draw in solar energy which is the first part of the process of artificial photosynthesis. Usually cobalt or rhodium is used as the catalyst for this form of artificial photosynthesis. The other kind of artificial photo synthesis which is the one I will be focusing for of my time into as it is more realistic as being used as a source of renewable energy as it is cheaper and produces more energy is with the use of graetzel cell (scientifically known as dye-artificial photosynthesis). Like PECs, dye-artificial photosynthesis cells use a semiconductor to collect energy, usually silicon. In dye-sensitized cells, the silicon is used to transport the collected energy, and the photoelectrons (energy particles) are separated and harnessed using special dyes. The disadvantages of the gratzel cell are mainly due to temperature concerns related to the liquid dyes, because these can freeze at lower temperatures and cease energy production, and expand at higher temperatures and break. There have been a few iterations of DSC technology, and the latest type of solar cell belongs to a new age of thin-film photovoltaic devices. They are engineered in layers: a photosensitive layer made of ultrathin, nano-sized semiconductor crystals over a thin

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