US 7,473,481 B2
	Photo-catalytic reactor
Donald Elliot MacPhee, Aberdeenshire (United Kingdom)
Assigned to The University Court of the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen (United Kingdom)
Appl. No. 10/547,633 PCT Filed Feb. 27, 2004, PCT No. PCT/GB2004/000806 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date May 05, 2006, PCT Pub. No. WO2004/079847, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 16, 2004.
Claims priority of application No. 0304709.9 (GB), filed on Mar. 01, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2006/0246342 A1, Nov. 02, 2006
Int. Cl. H01M 8/10 (2006.01); H01M 4/88 (2006.01); H01M 4/90 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 429—30  [429/40; 429/44; 429/111; 502/101]

18 Claims

1. A photocatalytic reactor for generating an electric current by consumption of a fuel containing organic material, said reactor comprising a direct oxidation fuel cell including an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode is a photocatalysis-assisted anode which comprises a photocatalyst on a surface of an electrically-conductive substrate so arranged as to be receptive to light, and a light-transmissive, proton-conducting membrane arranged between said anode and the cathode, such that light passes through said membrane as a final stage in an optical path to the photocatalyst, the photocatalyst promoting oxidation of the organic material and generating electron-hole pairs, and said reactor is provided with means for introducing said fuel, and means for connection to an external electrical circuit.