Institute Solar Fuels

Lecture announcements - TU Berlin

Photo-Electrochemical Energy Conversion (PEEC)

Prof. Dr. Roel van de Krol (roel.vandekrol@helmholtz-berlin.de)
and Dr. Fatwa Abdi

Winter semester 2022/2023

Course description:

Direct conversion of abundant resources such as water and CO2 into chemical fuels by using sunlight is an attractive solution to the problem of the intermittent nature of solar energy. Such ‘solar fuels’ have up to 100 times greater energy densities than the best batteries, and offer an attractive solution for large-scale, longterm energy storage. In this course, we will explore photo-electrochemical routes in which chemically stable semiconductors are combined with catalysts to form efficient energy conversion devices and artificial leafs.
We will discuss the underlying principles, the choice and design of new materials, the role of defects, and engineering challenges for devices and reactors.

Content:

1.  Climate Change, the Hydrogen Economy and pathways to solar fuels
2.  Basic semiconductors properties: energy levels, charge carriers, dopants, and junctions
3.  Electronic properties and defect chemistry of metal oxides
4.  The semiconductor/electrolyte interface: energetics and charge transfer processes
5.  Photoelectrochemical water splitting, electrocatalysis, CO2 conversion
6.  Materials design, selection and examples
7.  Solar fuel devices, artificial leafs & reactors

The lectures will be given in english.