In this paper, the performance of a concentrating photovoltaic/thermal solar system is numerically analyzed with a mathematical and physical model. The variations of the electrical efficiency and the thermal efficienc...In this paper, the performance of a concentrating photovoltaic/thermal solar system is numerically analyzed with a mathematical and physical model. The variations of the electrical efficiency and the thermal efficiency with the operation parameters are calculated. It is found that the electrical efficiency increases at first and then decreases with increasing concentration ratio of the sunlight, while the thermal efficiency acts in an opposite manner. When the velocity of the cooling water increases, the electrical efficiency increases. Considering the solar system, the surface of the sun, the atmosphere and the environment, we can get a coupled energy system, which is analyzed with the entropy generation minimization and the entransy theory. This is the first time that the entransy theory is used to analyze photovoltaic/thermal solar system. When the concentration ratio is fixed, it is found that both the minimum entropy generation rate and the maximum entransy loss rate lead to the maximum electrical output power,while both the minimum entropy generation numbers and the maximum entransy loss coefficient lead to the maximum electrical efficiency. When the concentrated sunlight is not fixed, it is shown that neither smaller entropy generation rate nor larger entransy loss rate corresponds to larger electrical output power. Smaller entropy generation numbers do not result in larger electrical efficiency, either. However, larger entransy loss coefficient still corresponds to larger electrical efficiency.展开更多
Photoelectrochemical （PEC） water splitting is a promising approach to harvest and store solar energy [1]. Silicon has been widely investigated for PEC photoelectrodes due to its suitable band gap （1.12 eV） matchin...Photoelectrochemical （PEC） water splitting is a promising approach to harvest and store solar energy [1]. Silicon has been widely investigated for PEC photoelectrodes due to its suitable band gap （1.12 eV） matching the solar spectrum [2]. Here we investigate employing nickel both as a catalyst and protecting layer of a p-type silicon photocathode for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution in basic electrolytes for the first time. The silicon photocathode was made by depositing 15 nm Ti on a p-type silicon wafer followed by 5 nm Ni. The photocathode afforded an onset potential of -0.3 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode （RHE） in alkaline solution （1 M KOH）. The stability of the Ni/Ti/p-Si photocathode showed a 100 mV decay over 12 h in KOH, but the stability was significantly improved when the photocathode was operated in potassium borate buffer solution （pH ≈ 9.5）. The electrode surface was found to remain intact after 12 h of continuous operation at a constant current density of 10 mA/cm^2 in potassium borate buffer, suggesting that Ni affords good protection of Si based photocathodes in borate buffers.展开更多
A facet-dependent electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior was found for nanostructured ZnO with different dominant exposing planes.The ECL spectrum of nanostructured ZnO was recorded by the emission scan mode with a f...A facet-dependent electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior was found for nanostructured ZnO with different dominant exposing planes.The ECL spectrum of nanostructured ZnO was recorded by the emission scan mode with a fluorescence spectrometer and applied to investigate the difference of surface state for different crystal planes.Electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory were used to study the effect of crystal plane on the band structure and density of states.It revealed that the ECL emission was originated primarily from the recombination of electrons from Zn 4s and the hole from O 2p,which could be utilized to study the physical and chemical properties of surface structures of as-prepared nanostructured ZnO.A physical model was suggested to elucidate the differences of ECL spectra.A concept was proposed that the energy released as photons during ECL process of nanocrystalline semiconductor materials will be correlated with the energy level of active sites located at different crystal planes.展开更多
Large-scale single crystals have potential applications in many fields,such as in ferroelectric and photoelectric energy conversion devices.Perovskite oxynitrides have also attracted attention in photoelectrochemical ...Large-scale single crystals have potential applications in many fields,such as in ferroelectric and photoelectric energy conversion devices.Perovskite oxynitrides have also attracted attention in photoelectrochemical water splitting systems because of their high theoretical solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies.Nevertheless,the synthesis of perovskite oxynitride single crystals requires the coupling of cation exchange and ammonization processes,which is exceptionally challenging.The present study demonstrates an inorganic vapor method that provides,for the first time ever,high-quality epitaxial perovskite SrTaO_(2)N single crystals on the centimeter scale.Assessments using Raman spectroscopy,crystal structure analysis and density functional theory determined that the conversion mechanism followed a topotactic transition mode.Compared with conventional SrTaO_(2)N particle-assembled films,the SrTaO_(2)N single crystals made in this work were free of interparticle interfaces and grain boundaries,which exhibited extremely high performance during photoelectrochemical water oxidation.In particular,these SrTaO_(2)N single crystals showed the highest photocurrent density at 0.6 V vs.RHE(1.20 mA cm^(−2)) and the highest photocurrent filling factor(47.6%)reported to date,together with a low onset potential(0.35 V vs.RHE).This onset potential was 200 mV less than that of the reported in situ SrTaO_(2)N film,and the photocurrent fill factor was improved by 2 to 3 times.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51376101)the Science Fund for Creative Research Groups(Grant No.51621062)
文摘In this paper, the performance of a concentrating photovoltaic/thermal solar system is numerically analyzed with a mathematical and physical model. The variations of the electrical efficiency and the thermal efficiency with the operation parameters are calculated. It is found that the electrical efficiency increases at first and then decreases with increasing concentration ratio of the sunlight, while the thermal efficiency acts in an opposite manner. When the velocity of the cooling water increases, the electrical efficiency increases. Considering the solar system, the surface of the sun, the atmosphere and the environment, we can get a coupled energy system, which is analyzed with the entropy generation minimization and the entransy theory. This is the first time that the entransy theory is used to analyze photovoltaic/thermal solar system. When the concentration ratio is fixed, it is found that both the minimum entropy generation rate and the maximum entransy loss rate lead to the maximum electrical output power,while both the minimum entropy generation numbers and the maximum entransy loss coefficient lead to the maximum electrical efficiency. When the concentrated sunlight is not fixed, it is shown that neither smaller entropy generation rate nor larger entransy loss rate corresponds to larger electrical output power. Smaller entropy generation numbers do not result in larger electrical efficiency, either. However, larger entransy loss coefficient still corresponds to larger electrical efficiency.
文摘Photoelectrochemical （PEC） water splitting is a promising approach to harvest and store solar energy [1]. Silicon has been widely investigated for PEC photoelectrodes due to its suitable band gap （1.12 eV） matching the solar spectrum [2]. Here we investigate employing nickel both as a catalyst and protecting layer of a p-type silicon photocathode for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution in basic electrolytes for the first time. The silicon photocathode was made by depositing 15 nm Ti on a p-type silicon wafer followed by 5 nm Ni. The photocathode afforded an onset potential of -0.3 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode （RHE） in alkaline solution （1 M KOH）. The stability of the Ni/Ti/p-Si photocathode showed a 100 mV decay over 12 h in KOH, but the stability was significantly improved when the photocathode was operated in potassium borate buffer solution （pH ≈ 9.5）. The electrode surface was found to remain intact after 12 h of continuous operation at a constant current density of 10 mA/cm^2 in potassium borate buffer, suggesting that Ni affords good protection of Si based photocathodes in borate buffers.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21075058,21005036,21127006)Startup Research Fund of Ministry of Education of China,Higher Educational Science and Technology Program of Shandong (J10LB12)+1 种基金Natural Science Foundation(ZR2010BZ004,JQ201106)Tai-Shan Scholar Research Fund of Shandong Province
文摘A facet-dependent electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior was found for nanostructured ZnO with different dominant exposing planes.The ECL spectrum of nanostructured ZnO was recorded by the emission scan mode with a fluorescence spectrometer and applied to investigate the difference of surface state for different crystal planes.Electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory were used to study the effect of crystal plane on the band structure and density of states.It revealed that the ECL emission was originated primarily from the recombination of electrons from Zn 4s and the hole from O 2p,which could be utilized to study the physical and chemical properties of surface structures of as-prepared nanostructured ZnO.A physical model was suggested to elucidate the differences of ECL spectra.A concept was proposed that the energy released as photons during ECL process of nanocrystalline semiconductor materials will be correlated with the energy level of active sites located at different crystal planes.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFA0209303)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22025202 and 51972165)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20202003)。
文摘Large-scale single crystals have potential applications in many fields,such as in ferroelectric and photoelectric energy conversion devices.Perovskite oxynitrides have also attracted attention in photoelectrochemical water splitting systems because of their high theoretical solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies.Nevertheless,the synthesis of perovskite oxynitride single crystals requires the coupling of cation exchange and ammonization processes,which is exceptionally challenging.The present study demonstrates an inorganic vapor method that provides,for the first time ever,high-quality epitaxial perovskite SrTaO_(2)N single crystals on the centimeter scale.Assessments using Raman spectroscopy,crystal structure analysis and density functional theory determined that the conversion mechanism followed a topotactic transition mode.Compared with conventional SrTaO_(2)N particle-assembled films,the SrTaO_(2)N single crystals made in this work were free of interparticle interfaces and grain boundaries,which exhibited extremely high performance during photoelectrochemical water oxidation.In particular,these SrTaO_(2)N single crystals showed the highest photocurrent density at 0.6 V vs.RHE(1.20 mA cm^(−2)) and the highest photocurrent filling factor(47.6%)reported to date,together with a low onset potential(0.35 V vs.RHE).This onset potential was 200 mV less than that of the reported in situ SrTaO_(2)N film,and the photocurrent fill factor was improved by 2 to 3 times.
