INVESTIGATION OF PHOTOELECTRODE REDOX POLYMER JUNCTIONS

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells using n-CdS as a photoanode and Nafion 117 as the SPE were prepared and doped with a variety of transition metal complexes of varying redox potentials and overall molecular charge ( plus 2,0, minus 1). The role of such introduced redox species for perturbing photoelectrode properties was of interest both for understanding conditions which promote electron transfer for charge (or discharge) in solid-state PEC storage devices, and also for understanding their role in changing semiconductor properties which might facilitate the use of this junction for various detector applications. It has been observed that the measured flatband potential in the cells can be modified by introduction of selected redox species into the SPE, (ii) photopotentials in the range 500-600 mv can be obtained if good interfacial contact is maintained at both the working and counterelectrode, and (iii) the photopotentials obtained in the n-CdS/Nafion 117 plus Ru(bpy)//3**2** plus conducting glass SPE cells are not dependent on the concentration of the incorporated redox species.