title: Series circuit of organic thin-film solar cells for conversion of water into hydrogen.
abstract: A series circuit of bulk hetero-junction (BHJ) organic thin-film solar cells (OSCs) is investigated for electrolyzing water to gaseous hydrogen and oxygen. The BHJ OSCs applied consist of poly(3-hexylthiophene) as a donor and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester as an acceptor. A series circuit of six such OSC units has an open circuit voltage (V(oc)) of 3.4 V, which is enough to electrolyze water. The short circuit current (J(sc)), fill factor (FF), and energy conversion efficiency (η) are independent of the number of unit cells. A maximum electric power of 8.86 mW cm(-2) is obtained at the voltage of 2.35 V. By combining a water electrolysis cell with the series circuit solar cells, the electrolyzing current and voltage obtained are 1.09 mA and 2.3 V under a simulated solar light irradiation (100 mW cm(-2), AM1.5G), and in one hour 0.65 mL hydrogen is generated.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science & Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Tsukuri College, Gokiso, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan. aaoki@nitech.ac.jp
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naruse
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C539575:(6,6)-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester; D037741:Fullerenes; D013876:Thiophenes; C507295:poly(3-hexylthiophene); D014867:Water; D006859:Hydrogen
keywords: hydrogen evolution; series circuit; solar cells; thin films; water electrolysis