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Nonadiabatic Chemical-to-Electrical Energy Conversion in Catalytic Schottky Junction Nanostructures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2011

Eduard G. Karpov  and
Jyotsna Mohan
Eduard G. Karpov
Affiliation:
Civil & Materials Engineering, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607, U.S.A.
Jyotsna Mohan
Affiliation:
Civil & Materials Engineering, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Nonadiabatic energy dissipation by electron subsystem of nanostructured solids unveil interesting opportunities for the solid-state energy conversion and sensor applications. We found that planar Pd/n-SiC, Pt/n-GaP and Pd/n-GaP Schottky structures with nanometer thickness metallization demonstrates a nonadiabatic channel for the conversion into electricity the energy of a catalytic hydrogen-to-water oxidation process on the metal layer surface. The observed abovethermal current greatly complements the usual thermionic emission current, and its magnitude is linearly proportional to the rate of formation and desorption of product water molecules from the nanostructure surface. The possibilities and advantages of utilizing the nonadiabatic functionality in a novel class of chemical-to-electrical energy conversion devices are discussed. The technology has a potential for a very high volumetric energy density due to the intrinsically planar device architecture.

Keywords

energy generationcatalyticdevices
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1311: Symposium GG – Next-Generation Fuel Cells—New Materials and Concepts , 2011 , mrsf10-1311-gg05-10
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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