Photoelectrochemistry
Photoelectrochemistry is a way to make electricity using sunlight and chemical reactions. To understand how this works, you first need to know about electrons.
Electrons are tiny particles that buzz around atoms. They have a negative charge, and sometimes they can hop from one atom to another.
When light hits certain materials, like metals or semiconductors, it can make some of the electrons shoot off from their atoms. This is called the photoelectric effect.
In photoelectrochemistry, we use materials that are good at the photoelectric effect, like titanium dioxide or silicon, to collect the electrons that get kicked off by the sunlight.
To make electricity, we need to get those electrons moving. This is where the chemical reactions come in. We can add a solution, like water or an acid, that will react with the electrons and create a flow of electricity.
So, in summary, photoelectrochemistry uses materials that can turn sunlight into electrons, and then uses chemical reactions to turn those electrons into electricity. It's like making a tiny power plant that runs on the sun!
Electrons are tiny particles that buzz around atoms. They have a negative charge, and sometimes they can hop from one atom to another.
When light hits certain materials, like metals or semiconductors, it can make some of the electrons shoot off from their atoms. This is called the photoelectric effect.
In photoelectrochemistry, we use materials that are good at the photoelectric effect, like titanium dioxide or silicon, to collect the electrons that get kicked off by the sunlight.
To make electricity, we need to get those electrons moving. This is where the chemical reactions come in. We can add a solution, like water or an acid, that will react with the electrons and create a flow of electricity.
So, in summary, photoelectrochemistry uses materials that can turn sunlight into electrons, and then uses chemical reactions to turn those electrons into electricity. It's like making a tiny power plant that runs on the sun!