ERIC Number: EJ1309009
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Sep
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Light-Emitting Diodes as Voltage Generators: Demonstrating the Fuel Cell Principle with Low-Cost, Magnetically Enhanced, Homemade Solar Electrolysis
Cesin-AbouAtme, Tania; Lopez-Almeida, CelesteG.; Molina-Labastida, Geronimo; Ibanez, Jorge G.
Journal of Chemical Education, v98 n9 p3045-3049 Sep 2021
Due to social distancing constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic, several experiments were designed in the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters in our Electrochemistry and Corrosion elective course to demonstrate electrochemical phenomena and applications at the students' homes with a kit sent by the school. We report here a student-designed experiment focused on water electrolysis, a well-studied phenomenon of great interest to the electrochemical industry. Its main appeal derives from the use of solar energy for the production of hydrogen gas, which is used in fuel cells. Here, the light-to-electricity converting function of light-emitting diodes is exploited to produce an electric current from solar radiation. This current is, in turn, utilized to perform microscale water electrolysis at graphite electrodes with the aid of a magnetic field. Lastly, the electrolysis products are employed to generate a voltage, demonstrating the fuel cell principle.
Descriptors: Light, Energy, Magnets, Science Experiments, Science Instruction, Student Developed Materials, Water, Distance Education, College Science, Elective Courses
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A