Fabrication of Photoanode and its performance in Photocatalytic fuel cell

Abstract

Photocatalytic fuel cell system (PFC) is a new technology for simultaneous organic wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Different composition of photoanode and different layers of photoanode were fabricated by using ultrasonic immobilization method to deposit zinc oxide (ZnO) particles, titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles and mixture of both particles on the surface of zinc foil. All photoanodes fabricated were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Then, the photoanodes are evaluated in PFC system under 8 hours sunlight or UV light irradiation. Various parameters such as effect of photoanode, effect of light source, effect of acidic and basic dye, different composition of TiO2 and ZnO photonaodes, and different layers of ZnO particles on Zn foil were evaluated in the PFC. The optimum condition occurred in 10 ppm methyl blue (MB) with 1 layer of ZnO/Zn photoanode under sunlight irradiation in PFC. Result of UV-Vis spectra indicated that the dye was undergoing mineralization process. At the optimum condition, about 85 % of MB decolorized and achieved with a voltage output of 170 mV. The performance of MB was better than acid orange 7 (AO7) since the colour removal of AO7 in PFC was 64 % and generated about 77 mV voltage.