Polymer Structered Electrodes For Solar Water Splitting

Lydia Henderson

School Name

Governor's School for Science and Math

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Chemistry

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Dr. Stefik; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina

Abstract

Devices that allow electrolysis to occur using energy from the sun, or solar water splitting cells, have been successfully synthesized using copolymers to assemble a mesoporous film. The inorganic/organic ratios were changed to determine the ratio that created the most highly ordered structure. The films were synthesized using polymer self-assembly, with bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) as the photo-catalyst and polystyrene-block-poly(ethyl oxide) as the di-block copolymer. The samples were made by dissolving all the precursors in a solution, then spin-coated onto various substrates and calcined. Small Angle X-ray Scattering and Scanning Electron Microscope images were used to analyze the structures. None of the target crystalline structure or mesoporous morphology were observed in the samples. Continued experimentation with the various inorganic/organic ratios must be investigated in order to synthesize a structured film.

Location

Owens 101

Start Date

4-16-2016 9:30 AM

COinS
 
Apr 16th, 9:30 AM

Polymer Structered Electrodes For Solar Water Splitting

Owens 101

Devices that allow electrolysis to occur using energy from the sun, or solar water splitting cells, have been successfully synthesized using copolymers to assemble a mesoporous film. The inorganic/organic ratios were changed to determine the ratio that created the most highly ordered structure. The films were synthesized using polymer self-assembly, with bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) as the photo-catalyst and polystyrene-block-poly(ethyl oxide) as the di-block copolymer. The samples were made by dissolving all the precursors in a solution, then spin-coated onto various substrates and calcined. Small Angle X-ray Scattering and Scanning Electron Microscope images were used to analyze the structures. None of the target crystalline structure or mesoporous morphology were observed in the samples. Continued experimentation with the various inorganic/organic ratios must be investigated in order to synthesize a structured film.