Photoelectrochemical biofuel cell with dendrimer-encapsulated CdSe nanoparticles-sensitized titanium dioxide as the photoanode

Abstract

The direct generation of electrical energy from sunlight and a biomass solution with use of a photoelectrochemical biofuel cell (PEBFC) was investigated. The PEBFC was constructed from dendrimer-encapsulated CdSe nanoparticles-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO2/CdSe-DENs) as the photoanode, along with dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles (Pt-DENs) as the cathode and the proton exchange membrane (PEM). The morphology of the TiO2/CdSe-DENs and Pt-DENs on carbon paper was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the effects of the TiO2/CdSe-DENs deposited on the carbon paper and the glucose concentration in the electrolyte on the photoelectrochemical responses were studied through photoelectrochemical measurements. Based on the optimal conditions, an open circuit voltage of 0.5 V and a maximum power density of 40 μW cm−2 could be obtained under light irradiation (λ > 400 nm) from the CdSe-DENs sensitized PEBFCs, indicating that the CdSe-DENs are efficient photosensitizers for PEBFCs.