High-performance and stable photoelectrochemical water splitting cell with organic-photoactive-layer-based photoanode.
Nat Commun 2020;
11:5509. [PMID:
33139804 PMCID:
PMC7606446 DOI:
10.1038/s41467-020-19329-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering their superior charge-transfer characteristics, easy tenability of energy levels, and low production cost, organic semiconductors are ideal for photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production. However, organic-semiconductor-based photoelectrodes have not been extensively explored for PEC water-splitting because of their low stability in water. Herein, we report high-performance and stable organic-semiconductors photoanodes consisting of p-type polymers and n-type non-fullerene materials, which is passivated using nickel foils, GaIn eutectic, and layered double hydroxides as model materials. We achieve a photocurrent density of 15.1 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with an onset potential of 0.55 V vs. RHE and a record high half-cell solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 4.33% under AM 1.5 G solar simulated light. After conducting the stability test at 1.3 V vs. RHE for 10 h, 90% of the initial photocurrent density are retained, whereas the photoactive layer without passivation lost its activity within a few minutes.
While organic semiconductors may be useful in photoelectrochemical water-splitting materials, they show low stability in water. Here, the authors report high-performance and stable organic-semiconductor-based photoanodes passivated using nickel foils, GaIn eutectic, and layered double hydroxides.
Collapse