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Peng S, Liu D, Ying Z, An K, Liu C, Feng J, Bai H, Lo KH, Pan H. Industrial-Si-based photoanode for highly efficient and stable water splitting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 671:434-440. [PMID: 38815378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.185] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an effective and sustainable method for solar energy harvesting. However, the technology is still far away from practical application because of the high cost and low efficiency. Here, we report a low-cost, stable and high-performing industrial-Si-based photoanode (n-Indus-Si/Co-2mA-xs) that is fabricated by simple electrodeposition. Systematic characterizations such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to characterize and understand the working mechanisms of this photoanode. The uniform and adherent dispersion of co-catalyst particles result in high built-in electric field, reduced charge transfer resistance, and abundant active sites. The core-shell structure of co-catalyst particles is formed after the activation process. The reconstructed morphology and modified chemical states of the surface co-catalyst particles improve the separation and transfer of charges, and the reaction kinetics for water oxidation greatly. Our work demonstrates that large-scale PEC water splitting can be achieved by engineering the industrial-Si-based photoelectrode, which shall guide the development of solar energy conversion in the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Peng
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Di Liu
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Zhiqin Ying
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Ningbo City 315201, PR China
| | - Keyu An
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Chunfa Liu
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Jinxian Feng
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Haoyun Bai
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Kin Ho Lo
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
| | - Hui Pan
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China; Department of Physics and Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
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2
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Wei S, Xia X, Bi S, Hu S, Wu X, Hsu HY, Zou X, Huang K, Zhang DW, Sun Q, Bard AJ, Yu ET, Ji L. Metal-insulator-semiconductor photoelectrodes for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:6860-6916. [PMID: 38833171 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00820g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting provides a scalable and integrated platform to harness renewable solar energy for green hydrogen production. The practical implementation of PEC systems hinges on addressing three critical challenges: enhancing energy conversion efficiency, ensuring long-term stability, and achieving economic viability. Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) heterojunction photoelectrodes have gained significant attention over the last decade for their ability to efficiently segregate photogenerated carriers and mitigate corrosion-induced semiconductor degradation. This review discusses the structural composition and interfacial intricacies of MIS photoelectrodes tailored for PEC water splitting. The application of MIS heterostructures across various semiconductor light-absorbing layers, including traditional photovoltaic-grade semiconductors, metal oxides, and emerging materials, is presented first. Subsequently, this review elucidates the reaction mechanisms and respective merits of vacuum and non-vacuum deposition techniques in the fabrication of the insulator layers. In the context of the metal layers, this review extends beyond the conventional scope, not only by introducing metal-based cocatalysts, but also by exploring the latest advancements in molecular and single-atom catalysts integrated within MIS photoelectrodes. Furthermore, a systematic summary of carrier transfer mechanisms and interface design principles of MIS photoelectrodes is presented, which are pivotal for optimizing energy band alignment and enhancing solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency within the PEC system. Finally, this review explores innovative derivative configurations of MIS photoelectrodes, including back-illuminated MIS photoelectrodes, inverted MIS photoelectrodes, tandem MIS photoelectrodes, and monolithically integrated wireless MIS photoelectrodes. These novel architectures address the limitations of traditional MIS structures by effectively coupling different functional modules, minimizing optical and ohmic losses, and mitigating recombination losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shice Wei
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Xuewen Xia
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Shuai Bi
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Shen Hu
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Xuefeng Wu
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Hsien-Yi Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Xingli Zou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Kai Huang
- Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - David W Zhang
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Qinqqing Sun
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Allen J Bard
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78713, USA
| | - Edward T Yu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78758, USA.
| | - Li Ji
- School of Microelectronics & Jiashan Fudan Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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3
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King AJ, Weber AZ, Bell AT. Theory and Simulation of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) Photoelectrodes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:23024-23039. [PMID: 37154402 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c21114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
A metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure is an attractive photoelectrode-catalyst architecture for promoting photoelectrochemical reactions, such as the formation of H2 by proton reduction. The metal catalyzes the generation of H2 using electrons generated by photon absorption and charge separation in the semiconductor. The insulator layer between the metal and the semiconductor protects the latter element from photo-corrosion and, also, significantly impacts the photovoltage at the metal surface. Understanding how the insulator layer determines the photovoltage and what properties lead to high photovoltages is critical to the development of MIS structures for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Herein, we present a continuum model for charge-carrier transport from the semiconductor to the metal with an emphasis on mechanisms of charge transport across the insulator. The polarization curves and photovoltages predicted by this model for a Pt/HfO2/p-Si MIS structure at different HfO2 thicknesses agree well with experimentally measured data. The simulations reveal how insulator properties (i.e., thickness and band structure) affect band bending near the semiconductor/insulator interface and how tuning them can lead to operation closer to the maximally attainable photovoltage, the flat-band potential. This phenomenon is understood by considering the change in tunneling resistance with insulator properties. The model shows that the best MIS performance is attained with highly symmetric semiconductor/insulator band offsets (e.g., BeO, MgO, SiO2, HfO2, or ZrO2 deposited on Si) and a low to moderate insulator thickness (e.g., between 0.8 and 1.5 nm). Beyond 1.5 nm, the density of filled interfacial trap sites is high and significantly limits the photovoltage and the solar-to-chemical conversion rate. These conclusions are true for photocathodes and photoanodes. This understanding provides critical insight into the phenomena enhancing and limiting photoelectrode performance and how this phenomenon is influenced by insulator properties. The study gives guidance toward the development of next-generation insulators for MIS structures that achieve high performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J King
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam Z Weber
- Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Alexis T Bell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Liquid Sunlight Alliance, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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4
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Dong Y, Abbasi M, Meng J, German L, Carlos C, Li J, Zhang Z, Morgan D, Hwang J, Wang X. Substantial lifetime enhancement for Si-based photoanodes enabled by amorphous TiO 2 coating with improved stoichiometry. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1865. [PMID: 37015923 PMCID: PMC10073107 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37154-z] [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: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amorphous titanium dioxide (TiO2) film coating by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a promising strategy to extend the photoelectrode lifetime to meet the industrial standard for solar fuel generation. To realize this promise, the essential structure-property relationship that dictates the protection lifetime needs to be uncovered. In this work, we reveal that in addition to the imbedded crystalline phase, the presence of residual chlorine (Cl) ligands is detrimental to the silicon (Si) photoanode lifetime. We further demonstrate that post-ALD in-situ water treatment can effectively decouple the ALD reaction completeness from crystallization. The as-processed TiO2 film has a much lower residual Cl concentration and thus an improved film stoichiometry, while its uniform amorphous phase is well preserved. As a result, the protected Si photoanode exhibits a substantially improved lifetime to ~600 h at a photocurrent density of more than 30 mA/cm2. This study demonstrates a significant advancement toward sustainable hydrogen generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutao Dong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Mehrdad Abbasi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jun Meng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Lazarus German
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Corey Carlos
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Ziyi Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Dane Morgan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Jinwoo Hwang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Xudong Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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5
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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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6
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Park H, Bae JW, Lee TH, Park IJ, Kim C, Lee MG, Lee SA, Yang JW, Choi MJ, Hong SH, Kim SY, Ahn SH, Kim JY, Kim HS, Jang HW. Surface-Tailored Medium Entropy Alloys as Radically Low Overpotential Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2105611. [PMID: 35064754 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have explored new materials for electrocatalysts, but it is difficult to discover materials that surpass the catalytic activity of current commercially available noble metal electrocatalysts. In contrast to conventional transition metal alloys, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have immense potential to maximize their catalytic properties because of their high stability and compositional diversity as oxygen evolution reactions (OERs). This work presents medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) as OER electrocatalysts to simultaneously satisfy the requirement of high catalytic activity and long-term stability. The surface of MEA electrocatalyst is tailored to suit the OER via anodizing and cyclic voltammetry activation methods. Optimized electrical properties and hydrophilicity of the surface enable an extremely low overpotential of 187 mV for achieving the current density of 10 mA cm-2 alkaline media. Furthermore, a combined photovoltaic-electrochemical system with MEA electrocatalyst and a perovskite/Si tandem solar cell exhibits a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 20.6% for an unassisted hydrogen generation system. These results present a new pathway for designing sustainable high efficiency water splitting cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoonkee Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Jae Wung Bae
- Max-Planck-Instut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tae Hyung Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Ik Jae Park
- Department of Applied Physics, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Changyeon Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Mi Gyoung Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Sol A Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Jin Wook Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Min-Ju Choi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Sung Hyun Hong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Sang Hyun Ahn
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Hyoung Seop Kim
- Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Ho Won Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
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7
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Han W, Fang F, Zhang Y, Li X, Wang T, Su Z, Chang K. Enhancement of metal ion-induced hole transfer on water oxidation performance of BiVO4 photoanode. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:8101-8104. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cc02240k] [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
The introduction of metal ions as carrier transport media in acidic electrolytes significantly enhanced the water oxidation performance of the BiVO4 photoanode. In particular, the BiVO4 electrode in the Co2+...
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Hemmerling JR, Mathur A, Linic S. Design Principles for Efficient and Stable Water Splitting Photoelectrocatalysts. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:1992-2002. [PMID: 33794089 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ConspectusPhotoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising avenue for sustainable production of hydrogen used in the chemical industry and hydrogen fuel cells. The basic components of most photoelectrochemical water splitting systems are semiconductor light absorbers coupled to electrocatalysts, which perform the desired chemical reactions. A critical challenge for the design of these systems is the lack of stability for the majority of desired semiconductors under operating water splitting conditions. One strategy to address this issue is to protect the semiconductor by covering it with a stabilizing insulator layer, creating a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) architecture, which has demonstrated improved stability. In addition to enhanced stability, the insulator layer may significantly affect the electron and hole transfer, which governs the recombination rates. Furthermore, the insertion of an insulator layer leads to the introduction of additional insulator/electrocatalyst and insulator/semiconductor interfaces. These interfaces can impact the system's performance significantly, and they need to be carefully engineered to optimize the efficiencies of MIS systems. In this Account, we describe our recent progress in shedding light on the critical role of the insulator and the interfaces on the performance of MIS systems. We discuss our findings by focusing on the concrete example of planar n-type Si protected by a HfO2 insulator layer and coupled to a Ni or Ir electrocatalyst that performs the oxygen evolution reaction, one of the water splitting half-reactions. To improve our fundamental understanding of the insulator layer, we precisely control the HfO2 insulator thickness using atomic layer deposition (ALD), and we perform a series of rigorous electrochemical experiments coupled with theory and modeling. We demonstrate that by tuning the insulator thickness, we can control the flux and recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes to optimize the generated photovoltage. Despite optimizing the thickness, we find that the maximum generated photovoltage in MIS systems is often significantly lower than the upper performance limit, i.e., there are additional losses in the system that could not be addressed by optimizing the insulator thickness. We identify the sources of these losses and describe strategies to minimize them by a combination of improving the semiconductor light absorption, removing nonidealities associated with interfacial defects, and finding alternative insulators with improved charge carrier selectivity. Finally, we quantify the improvements that can be obtained by implementing these specific strategies. Our collective work outlines strategies to analyze MIS systems, identify the sources of efficiency losses, and optimize the design to approach the fundamental performance limits. These general approaches are broadly applicable to photoelectrochemical materials that utilize sunlight to produce value-added chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Hemmerling
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Catalysis Science and Technology Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Aarti Mathur
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Catalysis Science and Technology Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Suljo Linic
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Catalysis Science and Technology Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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9
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Park HK, Ahn H, Lee TH, Lee JY, Lee MG, Lee SA, Yang JW, Kim SJ, Ahn SH, Kim SY, Lee CH, Park ES, Jang HW. Grain Boundaries Boost Oxygen Evolution Reaction in NiFe Electrocatalysts. SMALL METHODS 2021; 5:e2000755. [PMID: 34927882 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202000755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In a polycrystalline material, the grain boundaries (GBs) can be effective active sites for catalytic reactions by providing an electrodynamically favorable surface. Previous studies have shown that grain boundary density is related to the catalytic activity of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, but there is still no convincing evidence that the GBs provide surfaces with enhanced activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Combination of various electrochemical measurements and chemical analysis reveals the GB density at surface of NiFe electrocatalysts directly affects the overall OER. In situ electrochemical microscopy vividly shows that the OER occurs mainly at the GB during overall reaction. It is observed that the reaction determining steps are altered by grain boundary densities and the meaningful work function difference between the inside of grain and GBs exists. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows that extremely high index planes are exposed at the GBs, enhancing the oxygen evolution activity. The specific nature of GBs and its effects on the OER demonstrated in this study can be applied to the various polycrystalline electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoon Kee Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hehsang Ahn
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hyung Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yoon Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Gyoung Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sol A Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Wook Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jun Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hyun Ahn
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Ho Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Soo Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Won Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
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10
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Zhang P, Wang W, Wang H, Li Y, Cui C. Tuning Hole Accumulation of Metal Oxides Promotes the Oxygen Evolution Rate. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c02882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Analytical & Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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11
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Cai Q, Hong W, Jian C, Liu W. A high-performance silicon photoanode enabled by oxygen vacancy modulation on NiOOH electrocatalyst for water oxidation. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:7550-7556. [PMID: 32227016 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr00921k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is an attractive photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. However, Si photoanode towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is highly challenged due to its poor stability and catalytic inactivity. The integration of highly active electrocatalysts with Si photoanodes has been considered to be an effective strategy to improve their OER performance by accelerating the reaction kinetics and inhibiting Si photocorrosion. In this work, ultra-small NiFe nanoparticles are deposited onto the n-Si/Ni/NiOOH surface to improve the activity and stability of Si photoanodes by engineering the electrocatalyst and Si interface. Ultra-small NiFe nanoparticles can introduce oxygen vacancies via modulating the local electronic structure of Ni hosts in NiOOH electrocatalysts for fast charge separation and transfer. Besides, NiFe nanoparticles can also serve as a co-catalyst exposing more active sites and as a protection layer preventing Si photocorrosion. The as-prepared n-Si/Ni/NiOOH/NiFe photoanode exhibits excellent OER activity with an onset potential of 1.0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a photocurrent density of ∼25.2 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus RHE. This work provides a promising approach to design high-performance Si photoanodes by surface electrocatalyst engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Design and Assembly of Functional Nanostructures, and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, PR China.
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Lee SA, Lee TH, Kim C, Choi MJ, Park H, Choi S, Lee J, Oh J, Kim SY, Jang HW. Amorphous Cobalt Oxide Nanowalls as Catalyst and Protection Layers on n-Type Silicon for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. ACS Catal 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.9b03899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sol A. Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hyung Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Changyeon Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Ju Choi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoonkee Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokhoon Choi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwoo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihun Oh
- Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water and Sustainability, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Won Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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