Photobatteries for solar energy storage and conversion

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29105/ingenierias29.101-1011

Keywords:

Photobatteries, photoelectrode, heterojunction, TiO₂–Fe₂O₃, energy storage

Abstract

Photobatteries enable simultaneous solar energy conversion and storage in a single device. In this work, a lithium-ion photobattery using a TiO₂–Fe₂O₃ (1:1) electrode prepared by mechanical mixing was evaluated. XRD, SEM, UV–Vis, and Mott–Schottky analyses confirmed the formation of a heterojunction that improves charge separation and visible-light absorption. Under illumination (1 sun), the specific capacity increased from 160 to 220 mAh g⁻¹. This behavior is attributed to photogenerated charges that enhance electrochemical reactions, demonstrating the potential of this material for energy storage applications.

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Author Biographies

Luis Antonio Solís-Balderas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

He is a student in the doctoral program in materials at the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

Alfredo Romero-Contreras, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

He is a physicist, an SNI candidate researcher, and a collaborator at the Energy Storage and Conversion Laboratory at the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

Eduardo M. Sanchez Cervantes, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon

He is an SNI Level III researcher, head of the Energy Storage and Conversion Laboratory, and a research project advisor at the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

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Published

2026-07-25

How to Cite

Solís-Balderas, L. A., Romero-Contreras, A., & Sanchez Cervantes, E. M. (2026). Photobatteries for solar energy storage and conversion. Revista Ingenierías, 29(101), 160–171. https://doi.org/10.29105/ingenierias29.101-1011