Solar Energy Storage in an All-Vanadium Photoelectrochemical Cell: Structural Effect of Titania Nanocatalyst in Photoanode

Solar energy storage in the form of chemical is considered a promising alternative for solar utilization. High-performance conversion and significantly rely on sufficient active surface area efficient transport both reactants charge carriers. Herein, structure evolution titania nanotube photocatalyst during photoanode fabrication its effect photoelectrochemical activity microfluidic all-vanadium cell was investigated. Experimental results have shown that there exist opposite variation trends pore crystallinity photocatalyst. With increase calcination temperature, volume were gradually declined while improved. The trade-off between deteriorated sintering optimized then determined reaction efficiency. optimal average photocurrent density vanadium ions rate emerged at an appropriate where plentiful pores large area, as well good crystallinity, could be ensured to promote activity. This work reveals nanostructured influencing storage, which useful structural design photoelectrodes real applications.