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Chen R, Meng L, Xu W, Li L. Cocatalysts-Photoanode Interface in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: Understanding and Insights. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2304807. [PMID: 37653598 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Sluggish oxygen evolution reactions on photoanode surfaces severely limit the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The loading of cocatalysts on photoanodes has been recognized as the simplest and most efficient optimization scheme, which can reduce the surface barrier, provide more active sites, and accelerate the surface catalytic reaction kinetics. Nevertheless, the introduction of cocatalysts inevitably generates interfaces between photoanodes and oxygen evolution cocatalysts (Ph/OEC), which causes severe interfacial recombination and hinders the carrier transfer. Recently, many researchers have focused on cocatalyst engineering, while few have investigated the effect of the Ph/OEC interface. Hence, to maximize the advantages of cocatalysts, interfacial problems for designing efficient cocatalysts are systematically introduced. In this review, the interrelationship between the Ph/OEC and PEC performance is classified and some methods for characterizing Ph/OEC interfaces are investigated. Additionally, common interfacial optimization strategies are summarized. This review details cocatalyst-design-based interfacial problems, provides ideas for designing efficient cocatalysts, and offers references for solving interfacial problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runyu Chen
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Center for Energy Conversion Materials & Physics (CECMP), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, P. R. China
| | - Linxing Meng
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Center for Energy Conversion Materials & Physics (CECMP), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, P. R. China
| | - Weiwei Xu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Center for Energy Conversion Materials & Physics (CECMP), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, P. R. China
| | - Liang Li
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Thin Films, Center for Energy Conversion Materials & Physics (CECMP), Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, P. R. China
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Descamps J, Zhao Y, Le-Pouliquen J, Goudeau B, Garrigue P, Tavernier K, Léger Y, Loget G, Sojic N. Local reactivity of metal-insulator-semiconductor photoanodes imaged by photoinduced electrochemiluminescence microscopy. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:12262-12265. [PMID: 37753612 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03702a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Localized photoinduced electrochemiluminescence (PECL) is studied on photoanodes composed of Ir microbands deposited on n-Si/SiOx. We demonstrate that PECL microscopy precisely imaged the hole-driven heterogeneous photoelectrochemical reactivity. The method is promising for elucidating the local activity of photoelectrodes that are employed in solar energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Descamps
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR CNRS 5255, Pessac 33607, France.
| | - Yiran Zhao
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes)-UMR6226, Rennes F-35000, France.
| | - Julie Le-Pouliquen
- Univ Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON-UMR 6082, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Bertrand Goudeau
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR CNRS 5255, Pessac 33607, France.
| | - Patrick Garrigue
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR CNRS 5255, Pessac 33607, France.
| | - Karine Tavernier
- Univ Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON-UMR 6082, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Yoan Léger
- Univ Rennes, INSA Rennes, CNRS, Institut FOTON-UMR 6082, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Gabriel Loget
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes)-UMR6226, Rennes F-35000, France.
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Fundamental Electrochemistry (IEK-9), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, 52425, Germany
| | - Neso Sojic
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR CNRS 5255, Pessac 33607, France.
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Jun SE, Kim YH, Kim J, Cheon WS, Choi S, Yang J, Park H, Lee H, Park SH, Kwon KC, Moon J, Kim SH, Jang HW. Atomically dispersed iridium catalysts on silicon photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting. Nat Commun 2023; 14:609. [PMID: 36739416 PMCID: PMC9899270 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36335-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stabilizing atomically dispersed single atoms (SAs) on silicon photoanodes for photoelectrochemical-oxygen evolution reaction is still challenging due to the scarcity of anchoring sites. Here, we elaborately demonstrate the decoration of iridium SAs on silicon photoanodes and assess the role of SAs on the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. NiO/Ni thin film, an active and highly stable catalyst, is capable of embedding the iridium SAs in its lattices by locally modifying the electronic structure. The isolated iridium SAs enable the effective photogenerated charge transport by suppressing the charge recombination and lower the thermodynamic energy barrier in the potential-determining step. The Ir SAs/NiO/Ni/ZrO2/n-Si photoanode exhibits a benchmarking photoelectrochemical performance with a high photocurrent density of 27.7 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode and 130 h stability. This study proposes the rational design of SAs on silicon photoelectrodes and reveals the potential of the iridium SAs to boost photogenerated charge carrier kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Eon Jun
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Hye Kim
- grid.413028.c0000 0001 0674 4447School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541 Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehyun Kim
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Seok Cheon
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Sungkyun Choi
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwook Yang
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Hoonkee Park
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungsoo Lee
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Hwa Park
- grid.410883.60000 0001 2301 0664Interdisciplinary Materials Measurement Institute, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Chang Kwon
- grid.410883.60000 0001 2301 0664Interdisciplinary Materials Measurement Institute, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Jooho Moon
- grid.15444.300000 0004 0470 5454Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Hyun Kim
- grid.42687.3f0000 0004 0381 814XGraduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 44919 Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Won Jang
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, 16229 Republic of Korea
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Reyes-Morales J, Vanderkwaak BT, Dick JE. Enabling practical nanoparticle electrodeposition from aqueous nanodroplets. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:2750-2757. [PMID: 35113123 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr08045h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid rise of technology in the modern world has led to an increased demand for energy. Consequently, it is essential to increase the efficiency of current energy-producing systems due to the poor activity of their catalysts. Nanoparticles play a significant role in energy storage and conversion; however, electrodeposition of nanoparticles is difficult to achieve due to surface heterogeneities, nanoparticle diffusion layer overlap, and the inability to electrodeposit multi-metallic nanoparticles with stoichiometric control. These problems can be solved through nanodroplet-mediated electrodeposition, a technique where water nanodroplets are filled with metal salt precursors that form stable nanoparticles when they collide with a negatively-biased electrode. Further, this method has demonstrated control over nanoparticle size and morphology, displaying a wide variety of applications for the generation of materials with excellent catalytic properties. Historically, the cost of nanodroplet-mediated electrodeposition experimentation is prohibitive because practitioners use 0.1 M to 0.5 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) dissolved in the oil phase (∼10 mL). Such high concentrations of electrolytes have been used to lower ohmic drop and provide ions to maintain charge balance during electrodeposition. Here, we show that supporting electrolyte is not necessary for the oil phase. In fact, one can use a suitable salt (such as lithium perchlorate) in the aqueous phase to achieve nanoparticle electrodeposition. This simple change, grounded in an understanding of ion transfer, drives down the cost per experiment by nearly three orders of magnitude, representing a necessary step forward in enabling practical nanoparticle electrodeposition from water nanodroplets. This approach is a promising procedure for future cost-effective energy conversion systems relying on electrocatalytic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Reyes-Morales
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | | | - Jeffrey E Dick
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Pishgar S, Gulati S, Strain JM, Liang Y, Mulvehill MC, Spurgeon JM. In Situ Analytical Techniques for the Investigation of Material Stability and Interface Dynamics in Electrocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Applications. SMALL METHODS 2021; 5:e2100322. [PMID: 34927994 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202100322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Electrocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry are critical to technologies like fuel cells, electrolysis, and solar fuels. Material stability and interfacial phenomena are central to the performance and long-term viability of these technologies. Researchers need tools to uncover the fundamental processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Numerous analytical instruments are well-developed for material characterization, but many are ex situ techniques often performed under vacuum and without applied bias. Such measurements miss dynamic phenomena in the electrolyte under operational conditions. However, innovative advancements have allowed modification of these techniques for in situ characterization in liquid environments at electrochemically relevant conditions. This review explains some of the main in situ electrochemical characterization techniques, briefly explaining the principle of operation and highlighting key work in applying the method to investigate material stability and interfacial properties for electrocatalysts and photoelectrodes. Covered methods include spectroscopy (in situ UV-vis, ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS), and in situ Raman), mass spectrometry (on-line inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS)), and microscopy (in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM), electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM), and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM)). Each technique's capabilities and advantages/disadvantages are discussed and summarized for comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Pishgar
- Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Saumya Gulati
- Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Jacob M Strain
- Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Ying Liang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
| | - Matthew C Mulvehill
- Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Joshua M Spurgeon
- Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
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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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Salimi P, Najafpour MM. A Simple Method for Synthesizing Highly Active Amorphous Iridium Oxide for Oxygen Evolution under Acidic Conditions. Chemistry 2020; 26:17063-17068. [PMID: 32852097 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202000955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Water splitting for hydrogen production has been recognized as a promising approach to store sustainable energy. The performance of this method is limited by the oxygen-evolution reaction. Herein, an approach for synthesizing a highly active oxygen-evolving catalyst by a one-step, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and easy-to-perform method is presented, which works by using iridium metal as the anode at a relatively high potential. The obtained IrOx /Ir interface showed an overpotential of 250 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 0.1 m HClO4 and remained stable under electrochemical conditions. The IrOx that was mechanically separated from the surface of IrOx /Ir metal after operation showed a threefold increase in activity compared to the current benchmark IrO2 catalyst. Various characterization analyses were used to identify the structure and morphology of the catalyst, which suggested nanosized, porous, and amorphous IrOx on the surface of metallic Ir. This synthetic approach can inspire a variety of opportunities to design and synthesize efficient metal oxide-based electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion and utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payam Salimi
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), 45137-66731, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Najafpour
- Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), 45137-66731, Zanjan, Iran.,Centre of Climate Change and Global Warming, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), 45137-66731, Zanjan, Iran.,Research Centre for Basic Sciences & Modern Technologies (RBST), Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), 45137-66731, Zanjan, Iran
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