Studies on <i>n</i>-CdSe/Ti Semiconductor Septum Based Photoelectrochemical Solar Cell in Regard to the Influence of Structural and Compositional Characteristics of the Semiconductor Electrode

Abstract

Abstract A new type of photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cell based on semiconductor septum (SC-SEP) photoelectrode has been shown to yield higher electrical power output than the conventional PEC solar cell. In the present study, photoelectrochemical, structural and compositional characteristics of the semiconductor component in n-CdSe/Ti septum, based SC-SEP, PEC solar cell, employing some reversible electrolyte systems under prolonged PEC operation (100 h), revealed that the CdSe photoelectrode undergoes deterioration through ‘Cd’ loss. For example, in the case of the cell Pt, 1 M 3S//n-CdSe/Ti//0.1 M AgNO3 (1 M = 1 mol dm−3), Pt; CdSe showed loss of ‘Cd’. This resulted in decrease of the cell power output (from Vph and Isc of 1.42 V and 20 mA cm−2 to 1.3 V and 13 mA cm−2 respectively). It has been shown in the present investigation that the best way to arrest semiconductor deterioration was by adding 0.1 M Se to polysulfide electrolyte thereby stabilizing this efficient SC-SEP, PEC cell.