HYDROGEN GENERATING DEVICE
A hydrogen generating device ( 100 ) includes: a housing ( 1 ) that is capable of holding a liquid therein, and that is at least partially transmissive to light; an electrolyte that is held in the housing ( 1 ) and that contains water; a photoelectrode ( 2 ) that is arranged in the housing ( 1 ), that has a first surface in contact with the electrolyte, and that generates gas through decomposition of the water by being irradiated with light transmitted through the housing ( 1 ); and a conductor ( 3 ) that is arranged in a region on the second surface side opposite to the first surface side with respect to the photoelectrode ( 2 ) inside the housing ( 1 ), that has a surface in contact with the electrolyte, and that is connected electrically with the photoelectrode ( 2 ). The conductor ( 3 ) has a groove portion ( 3 a ) that is provided on the surface in contact with the electrolyte, and that extends along the flow direction of the generated gas.
1 . A hydrogen generating device comprising:
a housing capable of holding a liquid therein, the housing being at least partially transmissive to light;
an electrolyte held in the housing, the electrolyte containing water;
a photoelectrode arranged in the housing, the photoelectrode having a first surface in contact with the electrolyte, and the photoelectrode generating gas through decomposition of the water by being irradiated with light transmitted through the housing; and
a conductor arranged in a region on a second surface side opposite to the first surface side with respect to the photoelectrode inside the housing, the conductor having a surface in contact with the electrolyte, and the conductor being connected electrically with the photoelectrode, wherein
the conductor has a groove portion provided on the surface in contact with the electrolyte, the groove portion extending along a flow direction of the generated gas.
2 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the groove portion has a shape linearly extending along the flow direction of the generated gas.
3 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 2 , wherein
the conductor has a corrugated shape, and
the groove portion is formed of a valley portion of the corrugated shape.
4 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the conductor has a plurality of concave portions provided on the surface in contact with the electrolyte, and
the groove portion is formed by the plurality of concave portions being connected to each other.
5 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the conductor is formed of a metal.
6 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 5 , wherein
the conductor is formed of Ti, Ta, Zr, or Al.
7 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the groove portion has a depth of at least 100 μm but not more than 2 cm.
8 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
a co-catalyst is provided in at least a part of the region other than the groove portion in the conductor.
9 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 8 , wherein
the co-catalyst contains at least one selected from Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os, Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Fe, Co and Mn.
10 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the conductor has a projection that is provided in the region other than the groove portion.
11 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 10 , wherein
the projection has a co-catalyst provided thereon.
12 . The hydrogen generating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the groove portion has a hydrophobic coating.