The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 28, 1978
Filed:
Nov. 14, 1977
Howard McKinzie, Framingham, MA (US);
GTE Laboratories Incorporated, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
A photoelectrochemical metal plating and purification process includes at least one electrolyte containing a reduction-oxidation couple, one species of which is a metal cation which can be reduced to elemental metal at an electrode. The system includes an N-type photosensitive semiconductor electrode at which, under illumination, an oxidation reaction occurs, with concurrent reduction of the metal cation at the counter electrode. In operation, one ionic species of the electrolyte is oxidized while metal ions are reduced and collected as the elemental metal at the counter electrode. In cases where the elemental metal is liquid at the operation temperature, it is collected as a liquid metal pool under the counter electrode.