Design and implementation of a new concept of photoelectrochemical cell for solar water splitting

Photo electrochemical water splitting from sun is a potential solution to the growing energy crisis because this method can directly convert solar energy into chemical energy. Although this technology is attractive, up to now it presents a series of scientific challenges. In this work a new design of photoelectrochemical zero gap tandem cell is proposed. The designed cell is based on cheap photoactive materials at both anode and cathode and follows the idea to simplify as much as possible the fluid paths as well as the separation of gaseous hydrogen from water. This work will cover the concept phase, the fabrication of components manufacturing the assembly phase and the test phase. First results are encouraging enough to implement this concept at a panel level even though some issue need to be addressed.