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Li D, Tian S, Qian Q, Gao C, Shen H, Han F. Cs-Doped WO 3 with Enhanced Conduction Band for Efficient Photocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Driven by Long-Wavelength Visible Light. Molecules 2024; 29:3126. [PMID: 38999078 PMCID: PMC11243054 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29133126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cesium doped WO3 (Cs-WO3) photocatalyst with high and stable oxidation activity was successfully synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method using Cs2CO3 as the doped metal ion source and tungstic acid (H2WO4) as the tungsten source. A series of analytical characterization tools and oxygen precipitation activity tests were used to compare the effects of different additions of Cs2CO3 on the crystal structure and microscopic morphologies. The UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) of Cs-doped material exhibited a significant red shift in the absorption edge with new shoulders appearing at 440-520 nm. The formation of an oxygen vacancy was confirmed in Cs-WO3 by the EPR signal, which can effectively regulate the electronic structure of the catalyst surface and contribute to improving the activity of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The photocatalytic OER results showed that the Cs-WO3-0.1 exhibited the optimal oxygen precipitation activity, reaching 58.28 µmol at 6 h, which was greater than six times higher than that of WO3-0 (9.76 μmol). It can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the increase in the conduction band position of Cs-WO3-0.1 (0.11 V) and oxygen vacancies compared to WO3-0, which accelerate the electron conduction rate and slow down the rapid compounding of photogenerated electrons-holes, improving the water-catalytic oxygen precipitation activity of WO3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (S.T.); (Q.Q.); (H.S.); (F.H.)
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Advanced Carbon-Based Ceramics Preparation Technology, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Siyu Tian
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (S.T.); (Q.Q.); (H.S.); (F.H.)
| | - Qiuhua Qian
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (S.T.); (Q.Q.); (H.S.); (F.H.)
| | - Caiyun Gao
- Chemical Science and Engineering College, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China;
| | - Hongfang Shen
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (S.T.); (Q.Q.); (H.S.); (F.H.)
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Advanced Carbon-Based Ceramics Preparation Technology, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Fei Han
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China; (S.T.); (Q.Q.); (H.S.); (F.H.)
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2
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Manjunatha C, Rastogi CK, Manmadha Rao B, Girish Kumar S, Varun S, Raitani K, Maurya G, Karthik B, Swathi C, Sadrzadeh M, Khosla A. Advances in Hierarchical Inorganic Nanostructures for Efficient Solar Energy Harvesting Systems. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301755. [PMID: 38478710 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The urgent need to address the global energy and environmental crisis necessitates the development of efficient solar-power harvesting systems. Among the promising candidates, hierarchical inorganic nanostructures stand out due to their exceptional attributes, including a high specific surface area, abundant active sites, and tunable optoelectronic properties. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the fundamental principles underlying various solar energy harvesting technologies, including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), photocatalytic, photoelectrocatalytic (water splitting), and photothermal (water purification) systems, providing a foundational understanding of their operation. Thereafter, the discussion is focused on recent advancements in the synthesis, design, and development of hierarchical nanostructures composed of diverse inorganic material combinations, tailored for each of these solar energy harvesting systems. We meticulously elaborate on the distinct synthesis methods and conditions employed to fine-tune the morphological features of these hierarchical nanostructures. Furthermore, this review offers profound insights into critical aspects such as electron transfer mechanisms, band gap engineering, the creation of hetero-hybrid structures to optimize interface chemistry through diverse synthesis approaches, and precise adjustments of structural features. Beyond elucidating the scientific fundamentals, this review explores the large-scale applications of the aforementioned solar harvesting systems. Additionally, it addresses the existing challenges and outlines the prospects for achieving heightened solar-energy conversion efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Manjunatha
- Centre for Nanomaterials and Devices, Department of Chemistry, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - B Manmadha Rao
- Department of Physics, VIT-AP University, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - S Girish Kumar
- Centre for Nanomaterials and Devices, Department of Chemistry, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
| | - S Varun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
| | - Karthik Raitani
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Gyanprakash Maurya
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, India
| | - B Karthik
- Department of Chemical Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
| | - C Swathi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India
| | - Mohtada Sadrzadeh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Water Research Lab (AWRL), University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Ajit Khosla
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Province, China
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3
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Werner V, Lora FB, Chai Z, Hörndl J, Praxmair J, Luber S, Haussener S, Pokrant S. Stability and degradation of (oxy)nitride photocatalysts for solar water splitting. RSC SUSTAINABILITY 2024; 2:1738-1752. [PMID: 38845685 PMCID: PMC11152140 DOI: 10.1039/d4su00096j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Advancing towards alternative technologies for the sustainable production of hydrogen is a necessity for the successful integration of this potentially green fuel in the future. Photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting are promising concepts in this context. Over the past decades, researchers have successfully explored several materials classes, such as oxides, nitrides, and oxynitrides, in their quest for suitable photocatalysts with a focus on reaching higher efficiencies. However, to pave the way towards practicability, understanding degradation processes and reaching stability is essential, a domain where research has been scarcer. This perspective aims at providing an overview on recent progress concerning stability and degradation with a focus on (oxy)nitride photocatalysts and at providing insights into the opportunities and challenges coming along with the investigation of degradation processes and the attempts to improve the stability of photocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Werner
- Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, Paris Lodron University Salzburg Jakob-Haringer-Str. 2A 5020 Salzburg Austria
| | - Franky Bedoya Lora
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Ziwei Chai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
| | - Julian Hörndl
- Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, Paris Lodron University Salzburg Jakob-Haringer-Str. 2A 5020 Salzburg Austria
| | - Jakob Praxmair
- Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, Paris Lodron University Salzburg Jakob-Haringer-Str. 2A 5020 Salzburg Austria
| | - Sandra Luber
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
| | - Sophia Haussener
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Simone Pokrant
- Department of Chemistry and Physics of Materials, Paris Lodron University Salzburg Jakob-Haringer-Str. 2A 5020 Salzburg Austria
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4
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Zhang Z, Luo D, Chen J, Ma C, Li M, Zhang H, Feng R, Gao R, Dou H, Yu A, Wang X, Chen Z. Polysulfide regulation by defect-modulated Ta 3N 5-x electrocatalyst toward superior room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:197-208. [PMID: 37993338 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Resolving low sulfur reaction activity and severe polysulfide dissolution remains challenging in metal-sulfur batteries. Motivated by a theoretical prediction, herein, we strategically propose nitrogen-vacancy tantalum nitride (Ta3N5-x) impregnated inside the interconnected nanopores of nitrogen-decorated carbon matrix as a new electrocatalyst for regulating sulfur redox reactions in room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries. Through a pore-constriction mechanism, the nitrogen vacancies are controllably constructed during the nucleation of Ta3N5-x. The defect manipulation on the local environment enables well-regulated Ta 5d-orbital energy level, not only modulating band structure toward enhanced intrinsic conductivity of Ta-based materials, but also promoting polysulfide stabilization and achieving bifunctional catalytic capability toward completely reversible polysulfide conversion. Moreover, the interconnected continuous Ta3N5-x-in-pore structure facilitates electron and sodium-ion transport and accommodates volume expansion of sulfur species while suppressing their shuttle behavior. Due to these attributes, the as-developed Ta3N5-x-based electrode achieves superior rate capability of 730 mAh g-1 at 3.35 A g-1, long-term cycling stability over 2000 cycles, and high areal capacity over 6 mAh cm-2 under high sulfur loading of 6.2 mg cm-2. This work not only presents a new sulfur electrocatalyst candidate for metal-sulfur batteries, but also sheds light on the controllable material design of defect structure in hopes of inspiring new ideas and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Dan Luo
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jun Chen
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & International Academy of Optoelectronics at Zhaoqing, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chuyin Ma
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & International Academy of Optoelectronics at Zhaoqing, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Matthew Li
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont 60439, USA
| | - Haoze Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Renfei Feng
- Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon S7N 2V3, Canada
| | - Rui Gao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Haozhen Dou
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Aiping Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Xin Wang
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics & International Academy of Optoelectronics at Zhaoqing, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Zhongwei Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Canada; Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
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5
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Zhang Q, Liu G, Liu T. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) active sites in BiVO 4 studied using density functional theory and XPS experiments. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:2580-2588. [PMID: 38170861 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05579e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4/BVO) has been widely studied as a photocatalytic water splitting semiconductor material in recent years because of its many advantages, such as its ease of synthesis and suitable band gap (2.4 eV). However, BVO still has some disadvantages, one of which is the low photocatalytic water oxidation activity. It is intriguing and unexpected to note that in the current literature, Bi atoms are taken as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) active sites, while V metal atoms are not investigated in the OER, and the underlying reason for this remains unknown. In this work, using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we found that in BVO, the VO4 tetrahedron structure is very stable and there is strong surface reconstruction that leads to the V atoms on the surface having the same coordinates as in the bulk. For some high index surfaces, there are some theoretically predicted unsaturated V sites, but it is very easy to form a VO4 tetrahedron structure again by taking oxygen atoms from water. The other intermediates of OER are difficult to adsorb or desorb on this VO4 structure, which makes the V sites in BVO unsuitable as OER active sites. This VO4 structure remained stable during the molecular dynamics simulation at 300 and 673 K. The XPS characterization of various BVO morphologies validates our primary findings from DFT and molecular dynamics simulations. It reveals the presence of unsaturated Bi sites on the BVO surface, while unsaturated V sites are not observed. This study provides novel insights into the enhancement of OER activity of BVO and offers a fundamental understanding of OER activity in other photocatalysts containing V atoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyan Zhang
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.
| | - Guowei Liu
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.
| | - Taifeng Liu
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.
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6
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Derelli D, Caddeo F, Frank K, Krötzsch K, Ewerhardt P, Krüger M, Medicus S, Klemeyer L, Skiba M, Ruhmlieb C, Gutowski O, Dippel AC, Parak WJ, Nickel B, Koziej D. Photodegradation of CuBi 2 O 4 Films Evidenced by Fast Formation of Metallic Bi using Operando Surface-sensitive X-ray Scattering. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202307948. [PMID: 37635657 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202307948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
CuBi2 O4 has recently emerged as a promising photocathode for photo-electrochemical (PEC) water splitting. However, its fast degradation under operation currently poses a limit to its application. Here, we report a novel method to study operando the semiconductor-electrolyte interface during PEC operation by surface-sensitive high-energy X-ray scattering. We find that a fast decrease in the generated photocurrents correlates directly with the formation of a metallic Bi phase. We further show that the slower formation of metallic Cu, as well as the dissolution of the electrode in contact with the electrolyte, further affect the CuBi2 O4 activity and morphology. Our study provides a comprehensive picture of the degradation mechanisms affecting CuBi2 O4 electrodes under operation and poses the methodological basis to investigate the photocorrosion processes affecting a wide range of PEC materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Derelli
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Francesco Caddeo
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kilian Frank
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Munich, Germany
| | - Kilian Krötzsch
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Ewerhardt
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marco Krüger
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sophie Medicus
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Klemeyer
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marvin Skiba
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Ruhmlieb
- University of Hamburg, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olof Gutowski
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang J Parak
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bert Nickel
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Munich, Germany
| | - Dorota Koziej
- University of Hamburg, Institute for Nanostructure and Solid-State Physics, Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Arunachalam M, Kanase RS, Zhu K, Kang SH. Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO 2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5429. [PMID: 37669928 PMCID: PMC10480475 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41120-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen is one of the most widely used essential chemicals worldwide, and it is also employed in the production of many other chemicals, especially carbon-free energy fuels produced via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. At present, gallium arsenide represents the most efficient photoanode material for PEC water oxidation, but it is known to either be anodically photocorroded or photopassivated by native metal oxides in the competitive reaction, limiting efficiency and stability. Here, we report chemically etched GaAs that is decorated with thin titanium dioxide (~30 nm-thick, crystalline) surface passivation layer along with nickel-phosphate (Ni-Pi) cocatalyst as a surface hole-sink layer. The integration of Ni-Pi bifunctional co-catalyst results in a highly efficient GaAs electrode with a ~ 100 mV cathodic shift of the onset potential. In this work, the electrode also has enhanced photostability under 110 h testing for PEC water oxidation at a steady current density Jph > 25 mA·cm-2. The Et-GaAs/TiO2/Ni-Pi║Ni-Pi tandem configuration results in the best unassisted bias-free water splitting device with the highest Jph (~7.6 mA·cm-2) and a stable solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 9.5%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maheswari Arunachalam
- Department of Chemistry Education and Optoelectronic Convergence Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Rohini Subhash Kanase
- Department of Interdisciplinary Program for Photonic Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Kai Zhu
- Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, USA.
| | - Soon Hyung Kang
- Department of Chemistry Education and Optoelectronic Convergence Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Gao RT, Zhang J, Nakajima T, He J, Liu X, Zhang X, Wang L, Wu L. Single-atomic-site platinum steers photogenerated charge carrier lifetime of hematite nanoflakes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2640. [PMID: 37156781 PMCID: PMC10167323 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38343-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Although much effort has been devoted to improving photoelectrochemical water splitting of hematite (α-Fe2O3) due to its high theoretical solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 15.5%, the low applied bias photon-to-current efficiency remains a huge challenge for practical applications. Herein, we introduce single platinum atom sites coordination with oxygen atom (Pt-O/Pt-O-Fe) sites into single crystalline α-Fe2O3 nanoflakes photoanodes (SAs Pt:Fe2O3-Ov). The single-atom Pt doping of α-Fe2O3 can induce few electron trapping sites, enhance carrier separation capability, and boost charge transfer lifetime in the bulk structure as well as improve charge carrier injection efficiency at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. Further introduction of surface oxygen vacancies can suppress charge carrier recombination and promote surface reaction kinetics, especially at low potential. Accordingly, the optimum SAs Pt:Fe2O3-Ov photoanode exhibits the photoelectrochemical performance of 3.65 and 5.30 mA cm-2 at 1.23 and 1.5 VRHE, respectively, with an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 0.68% for the hematite-based photoanodes. This study opens an avenue for designing highly efficient atomic-level engineering on single crystalline semiconductors for feasible photoelectrochemical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Ting Gao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy Material and Chemistry, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Jiangwei Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy Material and Chemistry, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Tomohiko Nakajima
- Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Jinlu He
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| | - Xianhu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Xueyuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy Material and Chemistry, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| | - Limin Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Energy Material and Chemistry, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
- Department of Materials Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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9
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Rudd PN, Tereniak SJ, Lopez R. Characterizing Density and Spatial Distribution of Trap States in Ta 3N 5 Thin Films for Rational Defect Passivation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:7969-7977. [PMID: 36734937 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c19275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) has gained significant attention as a potential photoanode material, yet it has been challenged by material quality issues. Defect-induced trap states are detrimental to the performance of any semiconductor material. Beyond influencing the performance of Ta3N5 films, defects can also accelerate the degradation in water during desired electrochemical applications. Defect passivation has provided an enormous boost to the development of many semiconductor materials but is currently in its infancy for Ta3N5. This is in part due to a lack of experimental understanding regarding the spatial and energetic distribution of trap states throughout Ta3N5 thin films. Here, we employ drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP) to experimentally resolve the spatial and energetic distribution of trap states throughout Ta3N5 thin films. The density of deeper energetic traps is found to reach ∼2.5 to 6 × 1022 cm-3 at the interfaces of neat Ta3N5 thin films, over an order of magnitude greater than the bulk. In addition to the spatial profile of deep trap states, we report neat Ta3N5 thin films to be highly n-type in nature, owning a free carrier density of ∼9.74 × 1017 cm-3. This information, coupled with the present understanding of native oxide layers on Ta3N5, has facilitated the rational design of a targeted passivation strategy that simultaneously provides a means for catalyst immobilization. Loading catalyst via silatrane moieties suppresses the density of defects at the surface of Ta3N5 thin films by two orders of magnitude, while also reducing the free carrier density of films by over one order of magnitude, effectively dedoping the films to ∼2.40 × 1016 cm-3. The surface passivation of Ta3N5 films translates to suppressed defect-induced trapping and recombination of photoexcited carriers, as determined through absorption, photoluminescence, and transient photovoltage. This illustrates how developing a deeper understanding of the distribution and influence of defects in Ta3N5 thin films has the potential to guide future works and ultimately accelerate the integration and development of high-performance Ta3N5 thin film devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter N Rudd
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen J Tereniak
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Rene Lopez
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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10
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Fan X, Wang Z, Lin T, Du D, Xiao M, Chen P, Monny SA, Huang H, Lyu M, Lu M, Wang L. Coordination Chemistry Engineered Polymeric Carbon Nitride Photoanode with Ultralow Onset Potential for Water Splitting. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202204407. [PMID: 35650689 PMCID: PMC9401030 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202204407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Construction of an intimate film/substrate interface is of great importance for a photoelectrode to achieve efficient photoelectrochemical performance. Inspired by coordination chemistry, a polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) film is intimately grown on a Ti-coated substrate by an in situ thermal condensation process. The as-prepared PCN photoanode exhibits a record low onset potential (Eonset ) of -0.38 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a decent photocurrent density of 242 μA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE for water splitting. Detailed characterization confirms that the origin of the ultralow onset potential is mainly attributed to the substantially reduced interfacial resistance between the Ti-coated substrate and the PCN film benefitting from the constructed interfacial sp2 N→Ti coordination bonds. For the first time, the ultralow onset potential enables the PCN photoanode to drive water splitting without external bias with a stable photocurrent density of ≈9 μA cm-2 up to 1 hour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqian Fan
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Zhiliang Wang
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Tongen Lin
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Du Du
- School of Mechanical and Mining EngineeringThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Mu Xiao
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Peng Chen
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Sabiha Akter Monny
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Hengming Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical EngineeringCollege of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Tech UniversityNanjing211816P.R. China
| | - Miaoqiang Lyu
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Mingyuan Lu
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
| | - Lianzhou Wang
- Nanomaterials CentreSchool of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQLD 4072Australia
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11
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Wang P, Ding C, Li D, Cao Y, Li Z, Wang X, Shi J, Li C. Coupling effect between hole storage and interfacial charge transfer over ultrathin CoPi-modified hematite photoanodes. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:9247-9255. [PMID: 35695236 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt00765g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the functionality of the modification layer in regulating the charge transfer process at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface is of great significance to the rational design of photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation systems. Herein, by systematically investigating and comparing the charge transfer kinetics behaviors over ferrihydrite (Fh)- and cobalt phosphate (CoPi)-modified hematite (Fe2O3) photoanodes, we unveiled the essential relation between photocurrent enhancement and the charge transfer process. With the hole-storage material Fh as a reference, it was found that CoPi demonstrates high hole-storage capacity at a low bias region (<1.0 V vs. RHE) due to the effective release of Fermi level pinning. Afterwards, the stored holes would be timely injected into the electrolyte for water oxidation, caused by the enhanced charge separation in the presence of CoPi. In contrast, the decoration of Fh can only slightly passivate the surface states and promote hole injection in the high potential region. Subsequently, superior hole-storage capacity in the low-potential region is recognized as a crucial factor for photocurrent enhancement. These combined results provide new insights into the understanding of interfacial charge transfer kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chunmei Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yimeng Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Zheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Xiuli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingying Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Can Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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12
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Rodríguez-Gutiérrez I, Bedin KC, Mouriño B, Souza Junior JB, Souza FL. Advances in Engineered Metal Oxide Thin Films by Low-Cost, Solution-Based Techniques for Green Hydrogen Production. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:1957. [PMID: 35745297 PMCID: PMC9229379 DOI: 10.3390/nano12121957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Functional oxide materials have become crucial in the continuous development of various fields, including those for energy applications. In this aspect, the synthesis of nanomaterials for low-cost green hydrogen production represents a huge challenge that needs to be overcome to move toward the next generation of efficient systems and devices. This perspective presents a critical assessment of hydrothermal and polymeric precursor methods as potential approaches to designing photoelectrodes for future industrial implementation. The main conditions that can affect the photoanode's physical and chemical characteristics, such as morphology, particle size, defects chemistry, dimensionality, and crystal orientation, and how they influence the photoelectrochemical performance are highlighted in this report. Strategies to tune and engineer photoelectrode and an outlook for developing efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion using an inexpensive and stable material will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Rodríguez-Gutiérrez
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André 09210-580, SP, Brazil
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - Karen Cristina Bedin
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - Beatriz Mouriño
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - João Batista Souza Junior
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil
| | - Flavio Leandro Souza
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André 09210-580, SP, Brazil
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil
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13
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Coordination Chemistry Engineered Polymeric Carbon Nitride Photoanode with Ultralow Onset Potential for Water Splitting. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202204407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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14
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Zhang B, Huang L, Zhang X, Du Y, Sun H, Jin C, Zuo T, He L, Fa W. Tantalum nitride nanotube structured electrode for non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensing via photoelectrochemical route. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2022.116262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Interface engineering of Ta3N5 thin film photoanode for highly efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting. Nat Commun 2022; 13:729. [PMID: 35132086 PMCID: PMC8821563 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28415-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Interface engineering is a proven strategy to improve the efficiency of thin film semiconductor based solar energy conversion devices. Ta3N5 thin film photoanode is a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Yet, a concerted effort to engineer both the bottom and top interfaces of Ta3N5 thin film photoanode is still lacking. Here, we employ n-type In:GaN and p-type Mg:GaN to modify the bottom and top interfaces of Ta3N5 thin film photoanode, respectively. The obtained In:GaN/Ta3N5/Mg:GaN heterojunction photoanode shows enhanced bulk carrier separation capability and better injection efficiency at photoanode/electrolyte interface, which lead to a record-high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 3.46% for Ta3N5-based photoanode. Furthermore, the roles of the In:GaN and Mg:GaN layers are distinguished through mechanistic studies. While the In:GaN layer contributes mainly to the enhanced bulk charge separation efficiency, the Mg:GaN layer improves the surface charge inject efficiency. This work demonstrates the crucial role of proper interface engineering for thin film-based photoanode in achieving efficient PEC water splitting. Solar-to-fuel energy conversion requires well-designed materials properties to ensure favorable charge carrier movement. Here, authors employ interface engineering of Ta3N5 thin film to enhance bulk carrier separation and interface carrier injection to improve the water-splitting efficiency.
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16
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Wang Y, Hirose Y, Wakasugi T, Masubuchi Y, Tsuchii M, Sugisawa Y, Sekiba D, Chikamatsu A, Hasegawa T. Heteroepitaxial Growth of a Ta 3N 5 Thin Film with Clear Anisotropic Optical Properties. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:12323-12328. [PMID: 34935381 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ta3N5 is a promising semiconductor photocatalyst which can generate H2 gas from water under visible light illumination. It is expected that Ta3N5 exhibits a strong anisotropy in its physical properties stemming from its highly anisotropic crystal structure. However, such anisotropic properties have not been verified experimentally due to the difficulty in synthesizing a large single crystal. Here, we report the synthesis of (010)-oriented Ta3N5 single-crystalline thin films by solid phase epitaxy on the (110) plane of perovskite LaAlO3 substrates. The obtained epitaxial thin films of Ta3N5 exhibited clear optical anisotropy (pleochroism) as predicted by previous first-principles calculations. The optical gap for E||[100] polarization (∼2.12 eV) was smaller than that for E||[100] polarization (∼2.27 eV).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Wang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yasushi Hirose
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takuto Wakasugi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuji Masubuchi
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13 W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Masato Tsuchii
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuki Sugisawa
- Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 Japan
| | - Daiichiro Sekiba
- Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573 Japan
- Tandem Accelerator Complex (UTTAC), University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Akira Chikamatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hasegawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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17
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Wang P, Fu P, Ma J, Gao Y, Li Z, Wang H, Fan F, Shi J, Li C. Ultrathin Cobalt Oxide Interlayer Facilitated Hole Storage for Sustained Water Oxidation over Composited Tantalum Nitride Photoanodes. ACS Catal 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jiangping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuying Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Zheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fengtao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jingying Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Can Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China
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18
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Eichhorn J, Lechner SP, Jiang CM, Folchi Heunecke G, Munnik F, Sharp ID. Indirect bandgap, optoelectronic properties, and photoelectrochemical characteristics of high-purity Ta 3N 5 photoelectrodes. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. A 2021; 9:20653-20663. [PMID: 34671478 PMCID: PMC8454490 DOI: 10.1039/d1ta05282a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The (opto)electronic properties of Ta3N5 photoelectrodes are often dominated by defects, such as oxygen impurities, nitrogen vacancies, and low-valent Ta cations, impeding fundamental studies of its electronic structure, chemical stability, and photocarrier transport. Here, we explore the role of ammonia annealing following direct reactive magnetron sputtering of tantalum nitride thin films, achieving near-ideal stoichiometry, with significantly reduced native defect and oxygen impurity concentrations. By analyzing structural, optical, and photoelectrochemical properties as a function of ammonia annealing temperature, we provide new insights into the basic semiconductor properties of Ta3N5, as well as the role of defects on its optoelectronic characteristics. Both the crystallinity and material quality improve up to 940 °C, due to elimination of oxygen impurities. Even higher annealing temperatures cause material decomposition and introduce additional disorder within the Ta3N5 lattice, leading to reduced photoelectrochemical performance. Overall, the high material quality enables us to unambiguously identify the nature of the Ta3N5 bandgap as indirect, thereby resolving a long-standing controversy regarding the most fundamental characteristic of this material as a semiconductor. The compact morphology, low defect content, and high optoelectronic quality of these films provide a basis for further optimization of photoanodes and may open up further application opportunities beyond photoelectrochemical energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Eichhorn
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, Technische Universität München Am Coulombwall 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Simon P Lechner
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, Technische Universität München Am Coulombwall 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Chang-Ming Jiang
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, Technische Universität München Am Coulombwall 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Giulia Folchi Heunecke
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, Technische Universität München Am Coulombwall 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Frans Munnik
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Bautzner Landstraße 400 01328 Dresden Germany
| | - Ian D Sharp
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, Technische Universität München Am Coulombwall 4 85748 Garching Germany
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19
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Yin H, Shao C, Wang H, Zhang H, Li D, Zong X, Wang X, Li C. Shallow Oxygen Substitution Defect to Deeper Defect Transformation Mechanism in Ta 3N 5 under Light Irradiation. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:3698-3704. [PMID: 33830780 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Defects are ubiquitous in semiconductors and critical to photo(electro)chemical performance, but the change of defect properties under light irradiation remains poorly understood. Herein, we studied defect change properties of Ta3N5 with transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. A broad transient absorption (>650 nm) was observed and attributed to trapped electrons in oxygen impurities (substitution oxygen at nitrogen sites, ON), and two bleach signals at 510 and 580 nm were obtained and ascribed to free holes of Ta3N5. The charge recombination between the trapped electrons and the free holes is sensitively related to ON defects. The trap-detrapping recombination is retarded by increase of excitation intensity, which is contrary to the normal dependence of charge dynamics on excitation intensity. This abnormal dependence indicates that shallow ON• (singly positive charge states) defects of Ta3N5 transform to deeper ON× (neutral charge states) defects under strong light irradiation. The defect transformation results in long-lived free holes in Ta3N5 for photo(electro)catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenyi Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hefeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiuli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Can Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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20
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Li K, Miao B, Fa W, Chen R, Jin J, Bevan KH, Wang D. Evolution of Surface Oxidation on Ta 3N 5 as Probed by a Photoelectrochemical Method. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:17420-17428. [PMID: 33835772 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c21780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we present an in situ method to probe the evolution of photoelectrochemically driven surface oxidation on photoanodes during active operation in aqueous solutions. A standard solution of K4Fe(CN)6-KPi was utilized to benchmark the photocurrent and assess progressive surface oxidation on Ta3N5 in various oxidizing solutions. In this manner, a proportional increase in the surface oxygen concentration was detected with respect to oxidation time and further correlated with a continuous decline in the photocurrent. To discern how surface oxidation alters the photocurrent, we experimentally and theoretically explored its impact on the surface carrier recombination and the interfacial hole transfer rates. Our results indicate that the sluggish photocurrent demonstrated by oxidized Ta3N5 arises because of changes in both rates. In particular, the results suggest that the N-O replacement present on the Ta3N5 surface primarily increases the carrier recombination rate near the surface and to a lesser degree reduces the interfacial hole transfer rate. More generally, this methodology is expected to further our understanding of surface oxidation atop other nonoxide semiconductor photoelectrodes and its impact on their operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyan Li
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Botong Miao
- Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Wenjun Fa
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Kirk H Bevan
- Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
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21
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Kawase Y, Higashi T, Katayama M, Domen K, Takanabe K. Maximizing Oxygen Evolution Performance on a Transparent NiFeO x/Ta 3N 5 Photoelectrode Fabricated on an Insulator. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:16317-16325. [PMID: 33797878 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c00826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A transparent Ta3N5 photoanode is a promising candidate for the front-side photoelectrode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell with tandem configuration (tandem cell), which can potentially provide high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) energy conversion efficiency. This study focuses in particular on the semiconductor properties and interfacial design of transparent Ta3N5 photoanodes fabricated on insulating quartz substrates (Ta3N5/SiO2), typically the geometric area of 1 × 1 cm2 in contact with indium on its edge. This material utilizes the self-conductivity of Ta3N5 to make the PEC system operational, and the electrode would strongly reflect the intrinsic nature of Ta3N5 without a back contact that is commonly introduced. First, PEC measurements using acetonitrile (ACN)/H2O mixed solution were made to elucidate the intrinsic photoresponse in the presence of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) bis(hexafluorophosphate) (Ru(bpy)3(PF6)2) without water contact which avoids a multielectron-transfer oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and photoinduced self-oxidation. The potential difference between the onset potential of Ru2+ PEC oxidation by Ta3N5/SiO2 and the redox potential of Ru2+/3+ in the nonaqueous environment was about 0.7 V. While a stable photoanodic response was observed for Ta3N5/SiO2 in the nonaqueous phase, the addition of a small quantity of water into this nonaqueous system led to the immediate deactivation of Ta3N5/SiO2 photoanode under illumination by self-photooxidation to form TaOx at the solid/water interface. In aqueous phase, flatband potentials estimated from Mott-Schottky analysis varied with solution pH (constant potential against reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)). Photoelectrode modification by a transparent NiFeOx layer was attempted. The complete coverage of the Ta3N5 surface with transparent NiFeOx electrocatalysts, achieved by an optimized spin-coating protocol with controlled Ni-Fe precursors, allowed for the successful protection of Ta3N5 and demonstrated an extremely stable photocurrent for hours without any additional protective layers. The stability of the resultant NiFeOx/Ta3N5/SiO2 was limited not by Ta3N5 but mainly by a NiFeOx electrocatalyst due to Fe dissolution with time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudai Kawase
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Higashi
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masao Katayama
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunari Domen
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials (RISM), Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano, Japan
- Office of University Professors, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takanabe
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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22
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Tang R, Zhou S, Zhang Z, Zheng R, Huang J. Engineering Nanostructure-Interface of Photoanode Materials Toward Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2005389. [PMID: 33733537 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202005389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation based on semiconductor materials plays an important role in the production of clean fuel and value-added chemicals. Nanostructure-interface engineering has proven to be an effective way to construct highly efficient PEC water oxidation photoanodes with good light capture, carrier transport, and water oxidation kinetics. However, from theoretical and application perspectives, the relationship between the nanostructure and interface of photoanode materials and their PEC performance remains unclear. In this review, the PEC water oxidation reaction mechanism and evaluation criteria are briefly presented. The theoretical basis and research status of the nanostructure-interface engineering on constructing high-performance PEC water oxidation photoanodes are summarized and discussed. Finally, the current challenges and the future opportunities of nanostructure-interface engineering for the PEC reactions are pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tang
- Key Laboratory for Precision and Non-Traditional Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
- Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Shujie Zhou
- Particles and Catalysis Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Precision and Non-Traditional Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Rongkun Zheng
- Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Jun Huang
- Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2037, Australia
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Chen R, Yang C, Zhou Z, Haeffner F, Dersjant A, Dulock N, Dong Q, He D, Jin J, Zhao Y, Niu J, Wang D. Electrochemically Triggered Chain Reactions for the Conversion of Furan Derivatives. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202016601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rong Chen
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Cangjie Yang
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Zefeng Zhou
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Fredrik Haeffner
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Alinda Dersjant
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Nicholas Dulock
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Qi Dong
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Da He
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Yanyan Zhao
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Jia Niu
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry Boston College Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon St. Chestnut Hill MA 02467 USA
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24
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Chen R, Yang C, Zhou Z, Haeffner F, Dersjant A, Dulock N, Dong Q, He D, Jin J, Zhao Y, Niu J, Wang D. Electrochemically Triggered Chain Reactions for the Conversion of Furan Derivatives. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:7534-7539. [PMID: 33444481 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202016601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We report an electrochemical method for coupling biomass-derived C5/C6 compounds to value-added fuel precursors. Using only 2 % of equivalent charges, 2-methylfuran (2-MF) was oxidized to yield a cation radical, which readily reacted with 3-hexene-2,5-dione, a derivate of 2,5-dimethylfuran, to produce 3-(5-methylfuran-2-yl)hexane-2,5-dione. The product was converted to 4-ethylnonane (a component of biodiesel/jet fuel) in a single step in excellent yield. Importantly, the reaction was not sensitive to oxygen, and a trace amount of water was found to promote the reaction. Detailed mechanistic studies confirmed the proposed reaction pathways. Key to the mechanism is the radical generation that is enabled by electrochemistry. The radical is regenerated at the end of a reaction cycle to ensure chain propagation for an average of ca. 47 times, resulting in an apparent Faradaic efficiency of 4700 %.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Cangjie Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Zefeng Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Fredrik Haeffner
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Alinda Dersjant
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Nicholas Dulock
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Qi Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Da He
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Yanyan Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Jia Niu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
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25
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Jiao T, Lu C, Feng K, Deng J, Long D, Zhong J. N and Sn Co-Doped hematite photoanodes for efficient solar water oxidation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 585:660-667. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.10.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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26
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Wang P, Li D, Chi H, Zhao Y, Wang J, Li D, Pang S, Fu P, Shi J, Li C. Unveiling the Hydration Structure of Ferrihydrite for Hole Storage in Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202014871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Deng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Haibo Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Yongle Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Junhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Dongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Shan Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Ping Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Jingying Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Can Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
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27
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Wang P, Li D, Chi H, Zhao Y, Wang J, Li D, Pang S, Fu P, Shi J, Li C. Unveiling the Hydration Structure of Ferrihydrite for Hole Storage in Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:6691-6698. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202014871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Deng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Haibo Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Yongle Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Junhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Dongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Shan Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Ping Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Jingying Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Can Li
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
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28
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Xu K, Chatzitakis A, Risbakk S, Yang M, Backe PH, Grandcolas M, Bjørås M, Norby T. High performance and toxicity assessment of Ta3N5 nanotubes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Catal Today 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2019.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Hendi AH, Osman AM, Khan I, Saleh TA, Kandiel TA, Qahtan TF, Hossain MK. Visible Light-Driven Photoelectrocatalytic Water Splitting Using Z-Scheme Ag-Decorated MoS 2/RGO/NiWO 4 Heterostructure. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:31644-31656. [PMID: 33344816 PMCID: PMC7745211 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c03985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we have successfully constructed a solid-state Z-scheme photosystem with enhanced light absorption capacity by combining the optoelectrical properties of AgNPs with those of the MoS2/RGO/NiWO4 (Ag-MRGON) heterostructure. The Ag-MRGON Z-scheme system demonstrates improved photo-electrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance in terms of applied bias photon-to-current conversion efficiency (ABPE), which is 0.52%, and 17.3- and 4.3-times better than those of pristine MoS2 and MoS2/NiWO4 photoanodes, respectively. The application of AgNPs as an optical property enhancer and RGO as an electron mediator improved the photocurrent density of Ag-MRGON to 3.5 mA/cm2 and suppressed the charge recombination to attain the photostability of ∼2 h. Moreover, the photocurrent onset potential of the Ag-MRGON heterojunction (i.e., 0.61 VRHE) is cathodically shifted compared to those of NiWO4 (0.83 VRHE), MoS2 (0.80 VRHE), and MoS2/NiWO4 heterojunction (0.73 VRHE). The improved PEC water-splitting performance in terms of ABPE, photocurrent density, and onset potential is attributed to the facilitated charge transfer through the RGO mediator, the plasmonic effect of AgNPs, and the proper energy band alignments with the thermodynamic potentials of hydrogen and oxygen evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulmajeed H. Hendi
- Physics
Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdalghaffar M. Osman
- Chemistry
Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Khan
- Center
for Integrative Petroleum Research (CIPR), College of Petroleum Engineering
& Geoscience (CPG), King Fahd University
of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tawfik A. Saleh
- Chemistry
Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tarek A. Kandiel
- Chemistry
Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Talal F. Qahtan
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K. Hossain
- Center
of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
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Ma Z, Piętak K, Piątek J, Reed DeMoulpied J, Rokicińska A, Kuśtrowski P, Dronskowski R, Zlotnik S, Coridan RH, Slabon A. Semi-transparent quaternary oxynitride photoanodes on GaN underlayers. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:13193-13196. [PMID: 33021615 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc04894a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is employed to make semi-transparent TaOxNy, providing the possibility to build semi-transparent oxy(nitride) heterojunction photoanodes on conductive substrates. A generalized approach was developed to manufacture semi-transparent quaternary metal oxynitrides on conductive substrates beyond semi-transparent binary Ta3N5 photoanodes aiming for wireless tandem photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zili Ma
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
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31
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Krisna Das P, Arunachalam M, Subhash KR, Seo YJ, Ahn KS, Ha JS, Kang SH. Nanoporous Ta 3N 5via electrochemical anodization followed by nitridation for solar water oxidation. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:15023-15033. [PMID: 33095219 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt03056b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanoporous tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is a promising visible-light-driven photoanode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting with a narrow band gap of approximately 2.0 eV. It can utilize a large portion of the solar spectrum up to 600 nm to improve the activity of photooxidation reactions because of enhanced light scattering and an overall increase of the surface area with high light absorption and carrier collection. Herein, we synthesized a new n-type nanoporous tantalum nitride film on Ta foil by electrochemical anodization with a fluorinated electrolyte. Post-annealing in a nitrogen/ammonia mixture gas environment then transformed amorphous TaOx to crystalline Ta3N5. Effects of annealing temperature on the microstructure, optical properties, and PEC properties of samples were then investigated under changeable stoichiometry of Ta and N elements in the Ta-based nitride film. Results showed that the film annealed at 1000 °C showed high crystallinity, high visible light absorption, and a highly conductive interlayer between the substrates, resulting in the highest photocurrent density (JSC) of ∼0.25 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE in PEC water splitting. In addition, depending on the annealing temperature, it is possible to engineer band alignment in the nanoporous Ta3N5 layer, allowing a beneficial charge transfer process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pran Krisna Das
- Department of Advanced Chemicals and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yongbong-ro 77, Yongbong-dong, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
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Xiao Y, Feng C, Fu J, Wang F, Li C, Kunzelmann VF, Jiang CM, Nakabayashi M, Shibata N, Sharp ID, Domen K, Li Y. Band structure engineering and defect control of Ta3N5 for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation. Nat Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1038/s41929-020-00522-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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33
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Fu J, Wang F, Xiao Y, Yao Y, Feng C, Chang L, Jiang CM, Kunzelmann VF, Wang ZM, Govorov AO, Sharp ID, Li Y. Identifying Performance-Limiting Deep Traps in Ta3N5 for Solar Water Splitting. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c02648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Fu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Faze Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Walter Schottky Institut and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Yequan Xiao
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Yisen Yao
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Chao Feng
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Le Chang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Chang-Ming Jiang
- Walter Schottky Institut and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Viktoria F. Kunzelmann
- Walter Schottky Institut and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Zhiming M. Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Alexander O. Govorov
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, United States
| | - Ian D. Sharp
- Walter Schottky Institut and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Yanbo Li
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Engineering Research Center of Advanced Functional Material Manufacturing of Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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34
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Govind Rajan A, Martirez JMP, Carter EA. Why Do We Use the Materials and Operating Conditions We Use for Heterogeneous (Photo)Electrochemical Water Splitting? ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c01862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ananth Govind Rajan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5263, United States
| | - John Mark P. Martirez
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1592, United States
| | - Emily A. Carter
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5263, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1592, United States
- Office of the Chancellor, University of California, Los Angeles, Box 951405, Los Angeles, California 90095-1405, United States
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35
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Song X, He D, Li W, Ke Z, Liu J, Tang C, Cheng L, Jiang C, Wang Z, Xiao X. Anionic Dopant Delocalization through p‐Band Modulation to Endow Metal Oxides with Enhanced Visible‐Light Photoactivity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:16660-16667. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201909934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xianyin Song
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Dong He
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Wenqing Li
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Zunjian Ke
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Jiangchao Liu
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Chongyang Tang
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Li Cheng
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Changzhong Jiang
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- Institute of Technological SciencesWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Xiangheng Xiao
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of EducationHubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key LaboratoryWuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
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36
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Song X, He D, Li W, Ke Z, Liu J, Tang C, Cheng L, Jiang C, Wang Z, Xiao X. Anionic Dopant Delocalization through p‐Band Modulation to Endow Metal Oxides with Enhanced Visible‐Light Photoactivity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201909934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xianyin Song
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Dong He
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Wenqing Li
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Zunjian Ke
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Jiangchao Liu
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Chongyang Tang
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Li Cheng
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Changzhong Jiang
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- Institute of Technological Sciences Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Xiangheng Xiao
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
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37
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He Y, Chen R, Fa W, Zhang B, Wang D. Surface chemistry and photoelectrochemistry—Case study on tantalum nitride. J Chem Phys 2019; 151:130902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5122996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yumin He
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Wenjun Fa
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
- College of Advanced Materials and Energy & Henan, Joint International Research Laboratory of Nanomaterials for Energy and Catalysis, Xuchang University, Xuchang, Henan 461000, China
| | - Bingqing Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan 432000, China
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
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38
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Fang Z, Li D, Chen R, Huang Y, Luo B, Shi W. Multiple Doped Carbon Nitrides with Accelerated Interfacial Charge/Mass Transportation for Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:22255-22263. [PMID: 31148445 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b03745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of water molecule with catalysts is crucial to photocatalysis, but the surface property manipulation still remains a great challenge. In this study, we report an in situ multiple heteroelement (sodium, oxygen, and iodide) doping strategy based on a molten salt-assisted route to prepare a green-colored carbon nitride (GCN). The as-prepared GCN yields 25.5 times higher H2 evolution rate than that of bulk polymeric carbon nitride under visible light. Experimental characterization data demonstrate that the GCN delivers upshift of the conduction band and increased specific surface area and hydrophilicity. As confirmed by time-resolved PL spectra, DMPO spin-trapping EPR analysis, and so on, the excellent activity is dominantly ascribed to the greatly enhanced hydrophilicity and, subsequently, efficient interfacial charge transfer and hydrogen liberation. Moreover, through surface charge modification, the GCN also shows an increased degradation activity of rhodamine B. This work highlights the importance of surface modulation through multiple earth-abundant element incorporation for designing of advanced and practical photocatalysts.
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Hajibabaei H, Little DJ, Pandey A, Wang D, Mi Z, Hamann TW. Direct Deposition of Crystalline Ta 3N 5 Thin Films on FTO for PEC Water Splitting. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:15457-15466. [PMID: 30964262 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b21194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tantalum nitride is a promising photoanode material for solar water splitting, but further study and practical use are constrained by the harsh conditions of the synthesis from Ta metal. Here, we report the direct deposition of crystalline Ta3N5 on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate via a custom-built atomic layer deposition (ALD) system. A combination of TaCl5 (Ta precursor) and ammonia (N source) was sequentially pulsed into the ALD reactor with the substrate heated to 550 °C to deposit compact and thin films of Ta3N5 with controllable thicknesses on FTO substrates. Importantly, it is shown that the FTO is chemically and structurally stable under the reducing conditions of ammonia at 550 °C. These electrodes produced an exceptional photocurrent onset potential of ∼0.3 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with a maximum photocurrent of ∼2.4 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus RHE. Results of photoelectrochemical investigations as a function of film thickness and illumination direction reveal that the performance of Ta3N5 is controlled by a hole diffusion length of ∼50 nm. These results are crucial for the successful integration of Ta3N5 in efficient unassisted water-splitting applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Hajibabaei
- Department of Chemistry , Michigan State University , 578 S Shaw Lane , East Lansing , Michigan 48824-1322 , United States
| | - Daniel J Little
- Department of Chemistry , Michigan State University , 578 S Shaw Lane , East Lansing , Michigan 48824-1322 , United States
| | - Ayush Pandey
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science , University of Michigan , 1301 Beal Avenue , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center , Boston College , 2609 Beacon Street , Chestnut Hill , Massachusetts 02467 , United States
| | - Zetian Mi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science , University of Michigan , 1301 Beal Avenue , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
| | - Thomas W Hamann
- Department of Chemistry , Michigan State University , 578 S Shaw Lane , East Lansing , Michigan 48824-1322 , United States
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Abdel Haleem A, Perumandla N, Naruta Y. Preparation of Nanostructured Ta 3N 5 Electrodes by Alkaline Hydrothermal Treatment Followed by NH 3 Annealing and Their Improved Water Oxidation Performance. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:7815-7821. [PMID: 31459870 PMCID: PMC6648558 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b00382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Solar water splitting is a clean and sustainable process for green hydrogen production. It can reduce the fossil fuel consumption. Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is one of the limited candidates of semiconductors, which absorb a broad range of visible light and are thermodynamically able to split water without external bias potential. In the present work, we introduce a facile method to prepare a nanostructured Ta3N5 photoanode in a two-step process: hydrothermal deposition of perovskite-type NaTaO3 in a hydrofluoric acid-free NaOH aqueous solution followed by heat treatment in NH3 atmosphere. The resulted bare Ta3N5 electrode was subsequently modified with a Ni-doped CoFeO x (Ni:CoFeO x ) as a water oxidation catalyst. After the cocatalyst loading, the electrode shows a photocurrent of about 5.3 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode. The electrode maintained about 82% of its initial photocurrent after 7 h irradiation. In addition, a continuous oxygen evolution occurred for 3 h at Faraday efficiency of 96%. This performance is superior to that of the single-layer-modified Ta3N5 photoanodes reported so far. This remarkable improvement on the photochemical performance could be due to the uniform nanostructured surface morphology of the present Ta3N5 photoanode. Other alkaline salt treatments, such as LiOH and KOH, do not give such nanostructured morphology and accordingly exhibit lower performance than the one treated in NaOH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Abdel Haleem
- Center
for Chemical Energy Conversion Research and Institute of Science and
Technology Research, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
- Department
of Engineering Mathematics, and Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt
| | - Nagaraju Perumandla
- Center
for Chemical Energy Conversion Research and Institute of Science and
Technology Research, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Naruta
- Center
for Chemical Energy Conversion Research and Institute of Science and
Technology Research, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
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41
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Kim JH, Hansora D, Sharma P, Jang JW, Lee JS. Toward practical solar hydrogen production - an artificial photosynthetic leaf-to-farm challenge. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 48:1908-1971. [PMID: 30855624 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00699g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 331] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Solar water splitting is a promising approach to transform sunlight into renewable, sustainable and green hydrogen energy. There are three representative ways of transforming solar radiation into molecular hydrogen, which are the photocatalytic (PC), photoelectrochemical (PEC), and photovoltaic-electrolysis (PV-EC) routes. Having the future perspective of green hydrogen economy in mind, this review article discusses devices and systems for solar-to-hydrogen production including comparison of the above solar water splitting systems. The focus is placed on a critical assessment of the key components needed to scale up PEC water splitting systems such as materials efficiency, cost, elemental abundancy, stability, fuel separation, device operability, cell architecture, and techno-economic aspects of the systems. The review follows a stepwise approach and provides (i) a summary of the basic principles and photocatalytic materials employed for PEC water splitting, (ii) an extensive discussion of technologies, procedures, and system designs, and (iii) an introduction to international demonstration projects, and the development of benchmarked devices and large-scale prototype systems. The task of scaling up of laboratory overall water splitting devices to practical systems may be called "an artificial photosynthetic leaf-to-farm challenge".
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hyun Kim
- Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
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Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been intensively studied in the past decades as a promising method for large-scale solar energy storage. Among the various issues that limit the progress of this field, the lack of photoelectrode materials with suitable properties in all aspects of light absorption, charge separation and transport, and charge transfer is a key challenge, which has attracted tremendous research attention. A large variety of compositions, in different forms, have been tested. This review aims to summarize efforts in this area, with a focus on materials-related considerations. Issues discussed by this review include synthesis, optoelectronic properties, charge behaviors and catalysis. In the recognition that thin-film materials are representative model systems for the study of these issues, we elected to focus on this form, so as to provide a concise and coherent account on the different strategies that have been proposed and tested. Because practical implementation is of paramount importance to the eventual realization of using solar fuel for solar energy storage, we pay particular attention to strategies proposed to address the stability and catalytic issues, which are two key factors limiting the implementation of efficient photoelectrode materials. To keep the overall discussion focused, all discussions were presented within the context of water splitting reactions. How the thin-film systems may be applied for fundamental studies of the water splitting chemical mechanisms and how to use the model system to test device engineering design strategies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumin He
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA.
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43
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Fan G, Fang T, Wang X, Zhu Y, Fu H, Feng J, Li Z, Zou Z. Interfacial Effects on the Band Edges of Ta 3N 5 Photoanodes in an Aqueous Environment: A Theoretical View. iScience 2019; 13:432-439. [PMID: 30904772 PMCID: PMC6434055 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Ta3N5, as a fascinating photoanode for solar hydrogen production, is expected to split water without any bias, because its band edge potentials straddle H2O redox potentials. Unfortunately, Ta3N5 photoanodes can split water only when a bias of at least 0.6–0.9 V is applied. It means that they exhibit an onset potential as high as 0.6–0.9 VRHE (reversible hydrogen electrode). In this study, density functional theory calculations show that the band edge potentials of Ta3N5 have a shift of approximately −0.42 eV relative to vacuum level when exposed to water. The increased ratio of dissociated water at Ta3N5-water interface will further make the band edge potentials shift −0.85 eV relative to vacuum level, implying the anodic shifts of the onset potential for water oxidation. The findings may reveal the mystery of the unexpectedly high onset potential of Ta3N5, as high as 0.6–0.9 VRHE. We have studied interfacial effects on the band edges of Ta3N5 in an aqueous environment Both water and the hydroxylated surface promote the formation of the interface dipole High onset potentials of Ta3N5 may be ascribed to negative shift of band edge potentials
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozheng Fan
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Tao Fang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Xin Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Yaodong Zhu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Hongwei Fu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Jianyong Feng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Zhaosheng Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
| | - Zhigang Zou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
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Cristea D, Cunha L, Gabor C, Ghiuta I, Croitoru C, Marin A, Velicu L, Besleaga A, Vasile B. Tantalum Oxynitride Thin Films: Assessment of the Photocatalytic Efficiency and Antimicrobial Capacity. NANOMATERIALS 2019; 9:nano9030476. [PMID: 30909538 PMCID: PMC6474096 DOI: 10.3390/nano9030476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tantalum oxynitride thin films have been deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering, using a fixed proportion reactive gas mixture (85% N2 + 15% O2). To produce the films, the partial pressure of the mixture in the working atmosphere was varied. The characteristics of the produced films were analyzed from three main perspectives and correspondent correlations: the study of the bonding states in the films, the efficiency of photo-degradation, and the antibacterial/antibiofilm capacity of the coatings against Salmonella. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy results suggest that nitride and oxynitride features agree with a constant behavior relative to the tantalum chemistry. The coatings deposited with a higher reactive gas mixture partial pressure exhibit a significantly better antibiofilm capacity. Favorable antibacterial resistance was correlated with the presence of dominant oxynitride contributions. The photocatalytic ability of the deposited films was assessed by measuring the level of degradation of an aqueous solution containing methyl orange, with or without the addition of H2O2, under UV or VIS irradiation. Degradation efficiencies as high as 82% have been obtained, suggesting that tantalum oxynitride films, obtained in certain configurations, are promising materials for the photodegradation of organic pollutants (dyes).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Cristea
- Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, Transilvania University, Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania.
| | - Luis Cunha
- Physics Center, Minho University, Gualtar Campus, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Camelia Gabor
- Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, Transilvania University, Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania.
| | - Ioana Ghiuta
- Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, Transilvania University, Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania.
| | - Catalin Croitoru
- Materials Science and Engineering Faculty, Transilvania University, Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania.
| | - Alexandru Marin
- Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti, Str. Campului Nr. 1, POB 78, 115400 Mioveni, Arges, Romania.
| | - Laura Velicu
- Faculty of Physics, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania.
| | - Alexandra Besleaga
- Faculty of Physics, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania.
| | - Bogdan Vasile
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, Gh. Polizu Street No.1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
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45
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Zhu S, Zhao Y, He Y, Wang D. Selectivity of H2O2 and O2 by water oxidation on metal oxide surfaces. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:041712. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5046886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yanyan Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Yumin He
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
| | - Dunwei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA
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46
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Hojamberdiev M, Kawashima K, Hisatomi T, Katayama M, Hasegawa M, Domen K, Teshima K. Distinguishing the effects of altered morphology and size on the visible light-induced water oxidation activity and photoelectrochemical performance of BaTaO2N crystal structures. Faraday Discuss 2019; 215:227-241. [DOI: 10.1039/c8fd00170g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The effects of altered morphology and size on the visible light-induced water oxidation activity and photoelectrochemical performance of BaTaO2N crystal structures were studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirabbos Hojamberdiev
- Department of Materials Physics
- Nagoya University
- Nagoya 464-8603
- Japan
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology
| | - Kenta Kawashima
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology
- Faculty of Engineering
- Shinshu University
- Nagano 380-8553
- Japan
| | - Takashi Hisatomi
- Department of Chemical System Engineering
- School of Engineering
- The University of Tokyo
- Tokyo 113-8656
- Japan
| | - Masao Katayama
- Department of Chemical System Engineering
- School of Engineering
- The University of Tokyo
- Tokyo 113-8656
- Japan
| | - Masashi Hasegawa
- Department of Materials Physics
- Nagoya University
- Nagoya 464-8603
- Japan
| | - Kazunari Domen
- Department of Chemical System Engineering
- School of Engineering
- The University of Tokyo
- Tokyo 113-8656
- Japan
| | - Katsuya Teshima
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology
- Faculty of Engineering
- Shinshu University
- Nagano 380-8553
- Japan
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47
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Yang W, Prabhakar RR, Tan J, Tilley SD, Moon J. Strategies for enhancing the photocurrent, photovoltage, and stability of photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 48:4979-5015. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00997j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 230] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we survey recent strategies for photoelectrode optimization and advanced characterization methods towards efficient water splitting cells via feedback from these characterization methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooseok Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Yonsei University
- 03722 Seoul
- Republic of Korea
| | | | - Jeiwan Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Yonsei University
- 03722 Seoul
- Republic of Korea
| | - S. David Tilley
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Zurich
- 8057 Zurich
- Switzerland
| | - Jooho Moon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Yonsei University
- 03722 Seoul
- Republic of Korea
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48
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Xu C, Ravi Anusuyadevi P, Aymonier C, Luque R, Marre S. Nanostructured materials for photocatalysis. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 48:3868-3902. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cs00102f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 534] [Impact Index Per Article: 106.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Photocatalysis is a green technology which converts abundantly available photonic energy into useful chemical energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunping Xu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering
- Zhengzhou University of Light Industry
- Zhengzhou
- P. R. China
| | | | | | - Rafael Luque
- Departamento de Quimica Organica
- Universidad de Cordoba
- Campus de Rabanales
- Cordoba
- Spain
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49
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Xu Z, Li W, Yan Y, Wang H, Zhu H, Zhao M, Yan S, Zou Z. In-Situ Formed Hydroxide Accelerating Water Dissociation Kinetics on Co 3N for Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Solution. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:22102-22109. [PMID: 29890067 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b04596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sluggish water dissociation kinetics on nonprecious metal electrocatalysts limits the development of economical hydrogen production from water-alkali electrolyzers. Here, using Co3N electrocatalyst as a prototype, we find that during water splitting in alkaline electrolyte a cobalt-containing hydroxide formed on the surface of Co3N, which greatly decreased the activation energy of water dissociation (Volmer step, a main rate-determining step for water splitting in alkaline electrolytes). Combining the cobalt ion poisoning test and theoretical calculations, the efficient hydrogen production on Co3N electrocatalysts would benefit from favorable water dissociation on in-situ formed cobalt-containing hydroxide and low hydrogen production barrier on the nitrogen sites of Co3N. As a result, the Co3N catalyst exhibits a low water-splitting activation energy (26.57 kJ mol-1) that approaches the value of platinum electrodes (11.69 kJ mol-1). Our findings offer new insight into understanding the catalytic mechanism of nitride electrocatalysts, thus contributing to the development of economical hydrogen production in alkaline electrolytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Xu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Wenchao Li
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Yadong Yan
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - HongXu Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Heng Zhu
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Meiming Zhao
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Shicheng Yan
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
| | - Zhigang Zou
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Physics , Nanjing University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210093 , P. R. China
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50
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Zhu Y, Qian Q, Fan G, Zhu Z, Wang X, Li Z, Zou Z. Insight into the influence of high temperature annealing on the onset potential of Ti-doped hematite photoanodes for solar water splitting. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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