Electrochemical energy conversion of ionizing radiation in a cell with a semiconductor electrode

To study the processes taking place during conversion of ionizing radiation energy in a cell with a semiconductor electrode, radiation electrochemical decomposition of water under the effect of WWR-SM nuclear reactor radiation is investigated. The cell is a cylindric vessel made of stainless steel, 25 mm in diameter,00 mm high. A cylinder of nickel sheet metal is used as a cathode. Anodes of two types, smooth and porous, are made of TiO2 deposited on special substrates. The cell is placed in one of the reactor channels. At the reactor capacity of 10 MW the density of fast neutron flux is 3.1x1011-2.4x1013 cm-2xs-1; the density of thermal neutron flux is (3.1-6.1)x1013 cm-2 x s-1. The rate of radiation-electrochemical decomposition of water is determined by measuring the cell current versus the anode potential, reactor capacity and time. Based on the analysis of the data obtained the conclusion is drawn that the presence of a developed surface resulted in a higher efficiency of energy conversion for the porous anode