Optical fiber, optical cable, and hydrogen production device comprising optical cable

Abstract

An optical fiber including a light guiding inner core. The light guiding inner core includes a first light guiding segment and a second light guiding segment connected to the first light guiding segment. The first light guiding segment includes, from the inside out, a light absorbing layer, an inner electrode layer, an insulating layer, a void layer, a proton exchange membrane, and an outer electrode layer. The void layer is formed between the insulating layer and the proton exchange membrane. The light absorbing layer is a photovoltaic material layer. The inner electrode layer communicates with the proton exchange membrane via a plurality of microelectrodes across the insulating layer and the void layer. The plurality of microelectrodes is evenly disposed around the inner electrode layer. The outer electrode layer is a porous conductive structure. The second light guiding segment of the light guiding inner core includes a conductive layer.

1 . An optical fiber, comprising: a light guiding inner core; the light guiding inner core comprising at least a first light guiding segment and a second light guiding segment connected to the first light guiding segment; the first light guiding segment comprising a light-transmitting circumferential wall; the second light guiding segment comprising a light-transmitting or opaque circumferential wall; wherein:
 the first light guiding segment comprises, from the inside out, a light absorbing layer, an inner electrode layer, an insulating layer, a void layer, a proton exchange membrane, a plurality of microelectrodes, and an outer electrode layer;   the void layer is formed between the insulating layer and the proton exchange membrane; the light absorbing layer is a photovoltaic material layer; the inner electrode layer communicates with the proton exchange membrane via the plurality of microelectrodes across the insulating layer and the void layer; the plurality of microelectrodes is evenly disposed around the inner electrode layer; the outer electrode layer is a porous conductive structure; and   the second light guiding segment of the light guiding inner core comprises a conductive layer; and the conductive layer is connected to the inner electrode layer.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer is integrated with and is of the same material as the inner electrode layer. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the light guiding inner core further comprises a third light guiding segment connected to the second light guiding segment; the third light guiding segment comprises an opaque circumferential wall. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the inner electrode layer of one end of the first light guiding segment away from the second light guiding segment is covered and sealed with the insulating layer. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the light absorbing layer has a thickness of 50 nm to 20 μm, the inner electrode layer has a thickness of 50 nm to 50 μm, the insulating layer has a thickness of 10 nm to 50 μm, the microelectrode has a radius of 100 nm to 20 μm, and the proton exchange membrane has a thickness is 0.05-0.5 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the light guiding inner core is of a quartz fiber, a plastic optical fiber, a crystal fiber, a polymer material light pipe, a glass light pipe, a glass fiber or a transparent mica fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microelectrodes is a platinum (Pt) electrode, a palladium (Pd) electrode, or an iron (Fe) electrode containing NiS. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microelectrodes is across the insulating layer and communicates with the inner electrode layer. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein when the inner electrode layer or the outer electrode layer is used as a cathode, the material is Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), Copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), Graphene, Titanium (Ti), Thallium (Tl), Chromium (Cr), or Gold (Au); when the electrode layer is used as an anode, the material is C or Ni carrying a catalyst; and the catalyst is an iron oxide, a cobalt oxide, a nickel oxide, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the light absorbing layer is of an organic dye in the form of a divalent phosphonium salt of dicarboxybipyridine, or an organic dye mixed with an organic viscose. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the light absorbing layer is of an inorganic semiconductor material selected from TiO 2 , ZnS, CdSe, MoS, CuInS or GaInP. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the inorganic semiconductor material is n-type TiO 2 , ZnS or CdSe quantum dots having a particle diameter of 5 to 10 nm. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating layer is of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, polyimide or parylene. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the proton exchange membrane is a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane, a sulfonated polystyrene membrane, a modified perfluorosulfonic acid polymer membrane, or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate membrane. 
     
     
         15 . An optical cable, comprising a protective sleeve and a plurality of optical fibers of  claim 1  which are axially disposed in the protective sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . A device, comprising an electrolytic cell, an optical cable of  claim 15 , an internal electrode converger, an external electrode converger, and a fiber dispersing device; wherein:
 one end of the first light guiding segment of the optical fiber away from the second light guiding segment is exposed out of the protective sleeve of the optical cable; one end of the second light guiding segment of the optical fiber away from the first light guiding segment is exposed out of the protective sleeve of the optical cable;   the first light guiding segment of the optical fiber is dispersed by the fiber dispersing device and the one end of the first light guiding segment of the optical fiber away from the second light guiding segments immersed into the electrolyte, and the outer electrode layer of the first light guiding segment is electrically connected to the external electrode converger; and   the second light guiding segment of the optical fiber is disposed outside the electrolytic cell, and the conductive layer of the second light guiding segment is electrically connected to the internal electrode converger.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of optical cables is disposed above the electrolytic cell in arrays. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the fiber dispersing device comprises a first aperture plate and a second aperture plate fixedly disposed on an upper part and a lower part of the electrolytic cell, respectively; the first aperture plate comprises a plurality of first through holes in arrays, and the second aperture plate comprises a plurality of second through holes in arrays corresponding to the first through holes in arrays; the first light guiding segment of each of the optical fibers is fixed on the first aperture plate and the second aperture plate via the first through holes and the second through holes. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first aperture plate is insulated; the second aperture plate is conductive and communicates with the outer electrode layer of the first light guiding segment of each optical fiber; the internal electrode converger is a copper ring sheathed on one end of the second light guiding segment of the optical fiber, and is in contact with the conductive layer. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the electrolytic cell is provided with a defoaming net.