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Gated Electrodes For Electrolysis And Electrosynthesis

Technology Benefits

Reduces electrode overvoltage/ over potentialImprove electrolysis and electrosynthesis Low cost

Technology Application

Electrolysis of water ElectrochemistryElectrosynthesisElectropolymerizationFuel cells

Detailed Technology Description

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara designed gated electrode structures to improve the process of electrolysis and electrosynthesis. Here, an electrode of the electrochemical or photo-electrochemical cell is replaced by an appropriate gated electrode that comprises of two electrodes, with the gate electrode biased appropriately with respect to the working electrode. This gated technology aims to reduce overvoltage by enhancing field in the electrolyte near the electrode. Additionally, these electrodes can be made on low cost insulating substrates such as glass or plastic

Application No.

8147659

Others

Background

Hydrogen is expected to become an important energy storage medium for renewable energy sources which have a fickle output due to variability of environmental factors for mobile applications. Cost effective techniques for obtaining hydrogen from water is needed for the hydrogen economy. Several approaches are being explored, but electrolysis is amongst the more attractive schemes for splitting water. Newer, more efficient technology is desired to increase the efficiency and productivity of this process, while maintaining low costs.

Additional Technologies by these Inventors

• Novel Current-Blocking Layer in High-Power Current Aperture Vertical Electron Transistors (CAVETs)
• (In,Ga,Al)N Optoelectronic Devices with Thicker Active Layers for Improved Performance
• Polarization-Doped Field Effect Transistors with Increased Performance
• High-Quality N-Face GaN, InN, AlN by MOCVD
• Defect Reduction in GaN films using in-situ SiNx Nanomask
• GaN-based Vertical Metal Oxide Semiconductor and Junction Field Effect Transistors
• Improved Fabrication of Nonpolar InGaN Thin Films, Heterostructures, and Devices
• Technique for the Nitride Growth of Semipolar Thin Films, Heterostructures, and Semiconductor Devices
• A Structure For Increasing Mobility In A High-Electron-Mobility Transistor
• III-N Based Material Structures and Circuit Modules Based on Strain Management
• Achieving “Active P-Type Layer/Layers” In III-Nitride Epitaxial Or Device Structures Having Buried P-Type Layers
• Improved Performance of III-Nitride Photonic Devices
• Fabrication of N-face to Improve Telecommunications Efficiency
• Methods for Locally Changing the Electric Field Distribution in Electron Devices

Tech ID/UC Case

29537/2006-637-0

Related Cases

2006-637-0

*Abstract

Gated electrode structures to improve the process of electrolysis and electrosynthesis.

*IP Issue Date

Apr 3, 2012

*Principal Investigator

Name: Rakesh Lal

Department:

Name: Umesh Mishra

Department:

Name: Likun Shen

Department:

Country/Region

USA