B.4 Alcaline fuel cells with integrated charging

Stipendiat: Daniel Hertkorn

The project continues the investigation of alkaline fuel cells of the first research period. Now, the main focus is the recharge of the cell using a photo active metal oxide semiconductor. The goal is to develop thin metal oxide films with high energy conversion efficiencies, which are able to charge an attached metal hydride storage. In the project strontium titanate is used, which is a cheap and promising metal oxide. It can generate charge carriers when penetrated by uv-light. In order to harvest low energy light, different approaches have to tested and evaluated. One main approach is the doping of strontium titanate using both anionic and cationic dopands. As a result, a first generation of photovoltaically rechargeable fuel cells will be developed and evaluated.

 Schematic of an alcaline fuel cell with MH-storage and integrated SrTiO3- photolayer.