Junction and energy band on novel semiconductor-based fuel cells

Enyi Hu; Zheng Jiang; Liangdong Fan; Manish Singh; Faze Wang; Rizwan Raza; Muhammad Sajid; Jun Wang; Jung-Sik Kim; Bin Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.102191

Junction and energy band on novel semiconductor-based fuel cells

iScience. 2021 Feb 12;24(3):102191. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102191. eCollection 2021 Mar 19.

Authors

Enyi Hu¹, Zheng Jiang¹, Liangdong Fan², Manish Singh³, Faze Wang¹, Rizwan Raza^{4

5}, Muhammad Sajid⁴, Jun Wang¹, Jung-Sik Kim⁶, Bin Zhu^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Science and Technology/ Energy Storage Joint Research Center, School of Energy & Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
² Department of New Energy Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China.
³ Department of Chemistry, Division for Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Naturvetarvägen 14, 22362 Lund, Sweden.
⁴ Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of technology, Kemigarden 4, S-41296 Goteborg, Sweden.
⁶ Department of Aero & Auto Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.

Abstract

Fuel cells are highly efficient and green power sources. The typical membrane electrode assembly is necessary for common electrochemical devices. Recent research and development in solid oxide fuel cells have opened up many new opportunities based on the semiconductor or its heterostructure materials. Semiconductor-based fuel cells (SBFCs) realize the fuel cell functionality in a much more straightforward way. This work aims to discuss new strategies and scientific principles of SBFCs by reviewing various novel junction types/interfaces, i.e., bulk and planar p-n junction, Schottky junction, and n-i type interface contact. New designing methodologies of SBFCs from energy band/alignment and built-in electric field (BIEF), which block the internal electronic transport while assisting interfacial superionic transport and subsequently enhance device performance, are comprehensively reviewed. This work highlights the recent advances of SBFCs and provides new methodology and understanding with significant importance for both fundamental and applied R&D on new-generation fuel cell materials and technologies.

Keywords: Electrochemistry; Energy Engineering; Energy Materials; Materials Science.

Publication types

Review