From Extended Nanofluidics to an Autonomous Solar-Light-Driven Micro Fuel-Cell Device |
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Authors: | Dr Yuriy Pihosh Jin Uemura Dr Ivan Turkevych Dr Kazuma Mawatari Dr Yutaka Kazoe Dr Adelina Smirnova Prof Takehiko Kitamori |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8656 Japan;2. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Central 2–13, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047 Japan |
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Abstract: | Autonomous micro/nano mechanical, chemical, and biomedical sensors require persistent power sources scaled to their size. Realization of autonomous micro-power sources is a challenging task, as it requires combination of wireless energy supply, conversion, storage, and delivery to the sensor. Herein, we realized a solar-light-driven power source that consists of a micro fuel cell (μFC) and a photocatalytic micro fuel generator (μFG) integrated on a single microfluidic chip. The μFG produces hydrogen by photocatalytic water splitting under solar light. The hydrogen fuel is then consumed by the μFC to generate electricity. Importantly, the by-product water returns back to the photocatalytic μFG via recirculation loop without losses. Both devices rely on novel phenomena in extended-nano-fluidic channels that ensure ultra-fast proton transport. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate that μFG/μFC source achieves remarkable energy density of ca. 17.2 mWh cm−2 at room temperature. |
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Keywords: | fuel cells hydrogen production nanofluidics photocatalysis water splitting |
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