Title:
PHOTOCHEMICAL DIODE
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JPS5343488
Kind Code:
A
Abstract:
Photochemical diodes are provided which use light to drive both endoergic and exoergic chemical reactions such that optical energy is converted into chemical energy. The photochemical diodes are typically suspended in a bulk volume matrix of the constituent chemical reactants. The photochemical diodes, in the form of either Schottky-type diodes or p-n type diodes, are employed, for example, to convert water into hydrogen plus oxygen (or hydrogen peroxide); to convert hydrogen sulfide into hydrogen plus sulfur; and to photo-catalyze chemical reactions. The photochemical diodes of the invention comprise two portions, a first portion comprising an appropriately doped semiconductor material of a given conductivity and provided with an ohmic contact and a second portion comprising either metal (Schottky-type) or an appropriately doped semiconductor material of a conductivity type opposite to that of the first portion and provided with an ohmic contact (p-n type). The two portions are intimately joined together through the ohmic contact(s). Solar radiation is conveniently employed as a source of optical energy.
Inventors:
AASAA JIEI NOJITSUKU
Application Number:
JP11782077A
Publication Date:
April 19, 1978
Filing Date:
September 30, 1977
Export Citation:
Assignee:
ALLIED CHEM
International Classes:
B01J19/12; C01B3/04; C25B1/00; H01G9/20; H01L31/04; H01M14/00; (IPC1-7): B01J1/00; H01L31/00