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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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Sundararaj SB, Amir H, Viswanathan C, Thangavelu S. Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: A Visible-Light-Driven CoTiO 3@g-C 3N 4-Based Photoanode Interface Follows the Type II Heterojunction Scheme. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:16582-16594. [PMID: 39046450 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c02148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Harnessing solar energy can be efficiently used to generate hydrogen by photochemical water splitting, which is a sustainable and environmentally benign energy source. Here, a unique visible-light-driven CoTiO3@g-C3N4 (CTOCN)-based photoanode interface has been optimized and developed with modification to follow the type II heterojunction for the enhancement of photoelectrochemical water splitting. Initially, a graphitic carbon nitride-loaded CoTiO3 (with 10 wt % g-C3N4) composite was obtained using a one-pot solvothermal method. Accordingly, the type II heterojunction interface between g-C3N4 and CoTiO3 has been successfully created and confirmed by the acquired phase, morphological, and optical examinations. Thereby, heterostructure generations with interfacial interaction were enabled to decrease photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination, leading to enhanced charge transfer for water oxidation kinetics. The minimal charge transfer resistance and hole relaxation lifetime (p) shown in Nyquist and Bode plots have further confirmed the rapid electron transport across the electrode/electrolyte interfaces, which is attributed to an enhanced absorption of holes for the water splitting process. Additionally, UV-vis spectroscopy, Mott-Schottky analysis, and UPS studies were used to determine the band edge locations of g-C3N4 and CoTiO3. In comparison to previously developed nanohybrids and their equivalents, the CTOCN-d photoanode follows the type II charge transfer mechanism, resulting in a higher photocurrent density of 55.51 mA cm-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Humayun Amir
- Department of Nanoscience and Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 046, India
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Zhou S, Zhang LJ, Li J, Tung CH, Wu LZ. Engineering Ultrathin Cu xS Layer on Planar Sb 2S 3 Photocathode to Enhance Photoelectrochemical Transformation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202407836. [PMID: 38752620 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202407836] [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: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Sb2S3 has been extensively used as light absorber for photoelectrochemical cell. However, its p-type nature may result in the formation of Schottky junction with substrates, thus hindering the collection of photogenerated holes. Herein, an ultrathin CuxS layer is successfully engineered as the bottom junction for Sb2S3 for the first time. Capitalizing on its impressive electrical properties and superior optical properties, the CuxS layer exhibits a high work function of 4.90 eV, which causes the upward band bending of p-type Sb2S3, forming a hole-transparent structure with ohmic contact. The transparency of the ultrathin CuxS layer enables back-illumination of the Sb2S3/CuxS platform, facilitating the integration of intricate catalyst layers for photoelectrochemical transformation. When modified with Pt nanoparticles, the photocurrent density reaches -5.38 mA cm-2 at 0 V vs. RHE, marking a fourfold increase compared to the photocathode without CuxS layer. When introducing a molecular hybrid TC-CoPc@carbon black, a remarkable average photocurrent density of -0.44 mA cm-2 at the overpotential of 0 V is obtained for CO2 reduction reaction, while the photocurrent density is less than -0.03 mA cm-2 without CuxS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, P. R. China
| | - Li-Jun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, P. R. China
| | - Chen-Ho Tung
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, P. R. China
| | - Li-Zhu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, P. R. China
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Zabara MA, Ölmez B, Buldu‐Akturk M, Yarar Kaplan B, Kırlıoğlu AC, Alkan Gürsel S, Ozkan M, Ozkan CS, Yürüm A. Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Generation: Current Advances in Materials and Operando Characterization. GLOBAL CHALLENGES (HOBOKEN, NJ) 2024; 8:2400011. [PMID: 39130676 PMCID: PMC11316250 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202400011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation is a promising technology for green hydrogen production yet faces difficulties in achieving stability and efficiency. The scientific community is pushing toward the development of new electrode materials and a better understanding of the underlying reactions and degradation mechanisms. Advances in photocatalytic materials are being pursued through the development of heterojunctions, tailored crystal nanostructures, doping, and modification of solid-solid and solid-electrolyte interfaces. Operando and in situ techniques are utilized to deconvolute the charge transfer mechanisms and degradation pathways. In this review, both materials development and Operando characterization are covered for advancing PEC technologies. The recent advances made in the PEC materials are first reviewed including the applied improvement strategies for transition metal oxides, nitrites, chalcogenides, Si, and group III-V semiconductor materials. The efficiency, stability, scalability, and electrical conductivity of the aforementioned materials along with the improvement strategies are compared. Next, the Operando characterization methods and cite selected studies applied for PEC electrodes are described. Operando studies are very successful in elucidating the reaction mechanisms, degradation pathways, and charge transfer phenomena in PEC electrodes. Finally, the standing challenges and the potential opportunities are discussed by providing recommendations for designing more efficient and electrochemically stable PEC electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Burak Ölmez
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesSabanci UniversityIstanbul34956Türkiye
| | - Merve Buldu‐Akturk
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesSabanci UniversityIstanbul34956Türkiye
| | - Begüm Yarar Kaplan
- Sabanci University SUNUM Nanotechnology Research CenterIstanbul34956Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Can Kırlıoğlu
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesSabanci UniversityIstanbul34956Türkiye
| | - Selmiye Alkan Gürsel
- Sabanci University SUNUM Nanotechnology Research CenterIstanbul34956Türkiye
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesSabanci UniversityIstanbul34956Türkiye
| | - Mihrimah Ozkan
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCA02521USA
| | - Cengiz Sinan Ozkan
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCA02521USA
| | - Alp Yürüm
- Sabanci University SUNUM Nanotechnology Research CenterIstanbul34956Türkiye
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesSabanci UniversityIstanbul34956Türkiye
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Mondal S, Naor T, Volokh M, Stone D, Albero J, Levi A, Vakahi A, García H, Banin U, Shalom M. NC Meets CN: Porous Photoanodes with Polymeric Carbon Nitride/ZnSe Nanocrystal Heterojunctions for Photoelectrochemical Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:38153-38162. [PMID: 39010305 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c07582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The utilization of photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) for converting solar energy into fuels (e.g., hydrogen) is a promising method for sustainable energy generation. We demonstrate a strategy to enhance the performance of PEC devices by integrating surface-functionalized zinc selenide (ZnSe) semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) into porous polymeric carbon nitride (CN) matrices to form a uniformly distributed blend of NCs within the CN layer via electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The achieved type II heterojunction at the CN/NC interface exhibits intimate contact between the NCs and the CN backbone since it does not contain insulating binders. This configuration promotes efficient charge separation and suppresses carrier recombination. The reported CN/NC composite structure serves as a photoanode, demonstrating a photocurrent density of 160 ± 8 μA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), 75% higher compared with a CN-based photoelectrode, for approximately 12 h. Spectral and photoelectrochemical analyses reveal extended photoresponse, reduced charge recombination, and successful charge transfer at the formed heterojunction; these properties result in enhanced PEC oxygen production activity with a Faradaic efficiency of 87%. The methodology allows the integration of high-quality colloidal NCs within porous CN-based photoelectrodes and provides numerous knobs for tuning the functionality of the composite systems, thus showing promise for achieving enhanced solar fuel production using PEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjit Mondal
- Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Tom Naor
- The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Michael Volokh
- Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - David Stone
- The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Josep Albero
- Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, València 46022, Spain
| | - Adar Levi
- The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Atzmon Vakahi
- The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Hermenegildo García
- Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, València 46022, Spain
| | - Uri Banin
- The Institute of Chemistry and The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Menny Shalom
- Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
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6
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Arulkumar E, Thanikaikarasan S, Rajkumar S, Wondimu W. Influence of solution pH dependency on structure, optical with photoelectrochemical characteristics of SILAR deposited copper oxide thin films. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33579. [PMID: 39040338 PMCID: PMC11260933 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) technology is a promising approach for converting solar energy into chemical energy, offering significant potential for renewable energy applications. In this work, the CuO thin film was fabricated with different pH value in between 8.5 ± 0.1 and 10.5 ± 0.1 via Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method. The Effect of pH on thickness, structural, morphological, elemental composition and optical properties were investigated by using stylus profilometry, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, UV-vis and PL. The XRD results showed that as the pH increased, the crystallite size increased from 19.24 nm to 25.62 nm, with a monoclinic phase along the (111) direction. The CuO film deposited at pH value 10.5 ± 0.1 exhibit well defined identical particle with its size in the range between 200 and 300 nm was confirmed by SEM and TEM analysis. As the pH increased from 8.5 ± 0.1 to 10.5 ± 0.1, the CuO film bandgap (Eg) value reduced from 1.52 eV to 1.42 eV with indirect transition. The CuO photocathode deposited at pH 10.5 ± 0.1 shows maximum photocurrent density of 1.45 mA/cm2 at -0.1 V vs. RHE in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solution. Furthermore, the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis shows, the CuO (pH 10.5 ± 0.1) electrode have higher conductivity value of 0.6862 S/cm compared CuO at pH 8.5 ± 0.1 (0.2779 S/cm) and CuO at pH 9.5 ± 0.1 (0.4646 S/cm) electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Arulkumar
- Department of Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, 602 105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S. Thanikaikarasan
- Department of Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, 602 105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S. Rajkumar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Manufacturing, Institute of Technology, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Wasihun Wondimu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Manufacturing, Institute of Technology, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
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7
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Qiao K, Yang JF, Chen Z, Zhu Y, Jiang WF, Li F, Shi L. Minisci-Type Dehydrogenative Coupling of C(sp 3)-H and N-Heteroaromatics Enabled by Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Atom Transfer. Org Lett 2024; 26:5805-5810. [PMID: 38949597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Minisci-type dehydrogenative coupling of C(sp3)-H and N-heteroaromatics was performed with N-hydroxysuccinimide as a hydrogen atom transfer catalyst in a photoelectrochemical cell composed of a mesoporous BiVO4 photoanode and a Pt electrode. In the absence of metal catalysts and chemical oxidants, a range of N-heteroarenes (e.g., quinolines, isoquinolines, and quinoxaline) can undergo coupling with various C(sp3)-H partners to form the corresponding products in excellent yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaikai Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Jun-Feng Yang
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Zhi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Yong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Feng Jiang
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
| | - Lei Shi
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China
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8
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Yu J, Zheng Z, Wang A, Humayun M, Attia YA. MoO 3 with the Synergistic Effect of Sulfur Doping and Oxygen Vacancies: The Influence of S Doping on the Structure, Morphology, and Optoelectronic Properties. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:1189. [PMID: 39057866 PMCID: PMC11280073 DOI: 10.3390/nano14141189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) is an attractive semiconductor. Thus, bandgap engineering toward photoelectronic applications is appealing yet not well studied. Here, we report the incorporation of sulfur atoms into MoO3, using sulfur powder as a source of sulfur, via a self-developed hydrothermal synthesis approach. The formation of Mo-S bonds in the MoO3 material with the synergistic effect of sulfur doping and oxygen vacancies (designated as S-MoO3-x) is confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The bandgap is tuned from 2.68 eV to 2.57 eV upon sulfur doping, as confirmed by UV-VIS DRS spectra. Some MoS2 phase is identified with sulfur doping by referring to the photoluminescence (PL) spectra and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), allowing significantly improved charge carrier separation and electron transfer efficiency. Therefore, the as-prepared S-MoO3-x delivers a sensitive photocurrent response and splendid cycling stability. This study on the synergistic effect of sulfur doping and oxygen vacancies provides key insights into the impact of doping strategies on MoO3 performance, paving new pathways for its optimization and development in relevant fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (J.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhaokang Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (J.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Aiwu Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ultraintense Laser and Advanced Material Technology, Center for Advanced Material Diagnostic Technology, College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China; (J.Y.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Muhammad Humayun
- Energy, Water and Environment Lab, College of Humanities Sciences, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Yasser A. Attia
- National Institute of Laser Enhanced Sciences, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt;
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9
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Ma S, Lee H, Moon J. Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity Enables New Breakthrough in Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Reactions. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2405685. [PMID: 38963061 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202405685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
To facilitate the transition from a carbon-energy-dependent society to a sustainable society, conventional engineering strategies, which encounter limitations associated with intrinsic material properties, should undergo the paradigm shift. From a theoretical viewpoint, the spin-dependent feature of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) reveals the potential of a spin-polarization strategy in enhancing the performance of electrochemical (EC) reactions. The chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) phenomenon attracts unprecedented attention owing to its potential utility in achieving novel breakthroughs. This paper starts with the experimental results aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the spin-dependent OER focusing on the EC system based on the CISS phenomenon. The applicability of spin-polarization to EC system is verified through various analytical methodologies to clarify the theoretical groundwork and mechanisms underlying the spin-dependent reaction pathway. The discussion is then extended to effective spin-control strategies in photoelectrochemical system based on the CISS effect. Exploring the influence of spin-state control on the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects, this perspective also discusses the effect of spin polarization induced by the CISS phenomenon on spin-dependent OER. Lastly, future directions for enhancing the performance of spin-dependent redox systems are discussed, including expansion to various chemical reactions and the development of materials with spin-control capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunihl Ma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hyungsoo Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jooho Moon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
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Ma Z, Yin Y, Jiang Y, Luo W, Xu J, Chen Y, Bao Z, Guo C, Lv J. Fast annealing fabrication of porous CuWO 4photoanode for charge transport in photoelectrochemical water oxidation. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 35:385401. [PMID: 38917778 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ad5b67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Ternary-phase CuWO4oxide with an electronic band gap of 2.2-2.4 eV is a potential candidate photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Herein, we present an efficient method to prepare CuWO4film photoanode by combining hydrothermal method and hybrid microwave annealing (HMA) process. In comparison with conventional thermal annealing (CTA), HMA can achieve CuWO4thin film within minutes by using SiC susceptor. When the CuWO4photoanode is prepared by HMA, its PEC water oxidation performance improves from 0.21 to 0.29 mA cm-2at 1.23 VRHEcomparing with the one prepared by CTA. The origin of the enhanced photocurrent was investigated by means of complementary physical characterizations and PEC methods. The results demonstrated that the obtained HMA processed CuWO4photoanode not only exhibited intrinsic porous nanostructures but also abundant surface hydroxyl groups, which facilitated sufficient mass transport and the charge transfer. Our results highlight the application of HMA for the fast fabrication of porous film photo-electrodes without using sacrificial template.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zili Ma
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjun Yin
- School of Chemistry and Material Engineering, Chaohu University, Chaohu 238024, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Weihao Luo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinyu Xu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Bao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaozhong Guo
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing 402160, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Lv
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
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11
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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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12
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Wang G, Tang T, Ye KH, Ding X, Chen J, Zou W, Xiao Y, Li J, Zhao L, Chen C, Ge S, Li L, Wei X, Chen C, Cao Y, Lin Z, Zhang S. Dual Hole Transport Layers Heterojunction and Band Alignment Engineered Mo:BiVO 4 Photoanodes for Efficient Water Splitting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403600. [PMID: 38949410 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
BiVO4-based photoanode is one of the most promising photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic water splitting. However, the serious problem of interface charge recombination limits its further development. Here, a Mo:BiVO4/NiOx/CPF-TCzB/NiCoBi photoanode is constructed with double hole transport layer and an energy level gradient to achieve an effective photo-generated holes extraction and accumulation at the surface electrocatalyst. The conjugated polycarbazole framework CPF-TCzB is used as hole transport layer to eliminate the charge recombination center between Mo:BiVO4 and NiCoBi electrocatalyst and realize the extraction and storage of photo-generated hole; NiOx nanoparticles are further inserted between Mo:BiVO4 and CPF-TCzB to form a gradient energy level, eliminating the energy level barrier and optimizing band alignment. As a result, Mo:BiVO4/NiOx/CPF-TCzB/NiCoBi achieves a much higher photocurrent densities of 3.14 mA cm-2 than that of Mo:BiVO4 (0.42 mA cm-2) at 0.6 V versus RHE. This work provides an specific way to adjust the band structure of BiVO4-based photoanodes and realize efficient hole extraction and storage for PEC water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilin Wang
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Tongxin Tang
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Kai-Hang Ye
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang Branch of Chemistry, Jieyang, 515200, China
| | - Xin Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junwei Chen
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - WenHao Zou
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yushen Xiao
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - JieYu Li
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chaojie Chen
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Sitong Ge
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lei Li
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiujuan Wei
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhan Lin
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang Branch of Chemistry, Jieyang, 515200, China
| | - Shanqing Zhang
- Institute for Sustainable Transformation, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang Branch of Chemistry, Jieyang, 515200, China
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13
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Dong WJ, Ye Z, Tang S, Navid IA, Xiao Y, Zhang B, Pan Y, Mi Z. Concentrated Solar Light Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting for Stable and High-Yield Hydrogen Production. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2309548. [PMID: 38460173 PMCID: PMC11234434 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising technique for converting solar energy into low-cost and eco-friendly H2 fuel. However, the production rate of H2 is limited by the insufficient number of photogenerated charge carriers in the conventional photoelectrodes under 1 sun (100 mW cm-2) light. Concentrated solar light irradiation can overcome the issue of low yield, but it leads to a new challenge of stability because the accelerated reaction alters the surface chemical composition of photoelectrodes. Here, it is demonstrated that loading Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on single crystalline GaN nanowires (NWs) grown on n+-p Si photoelectrode operates efficiently and stably under concentrated solar light. Although a large number of Pt NPs detach during the initial reaction due to H2 gas bubbling, some Pt NPs which have an epitaxial relation with GaN NWs remain stably anchored. In addition, the stability of the photoelectrode further improves by redepositing Pt NPs on the reacted Pt/GaN surface, which results in maintaining onset potential >0.5 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode and photocurrent density >60 mA cm-2 for over 1500 h. The heterointerface between Pt cocatalysts and single crystalline GaN nanostructures shows great potential in designing an efficient and stable photoelectrode for high-yield solar to H2 conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Jae Dong
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Zhengwei Ye
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Songtao Tang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Ishtiaque Ahmed Navid
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Yixin Xiao
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Bingxing Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Yuyang Pan
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Zetian Mi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceUniversity of Michigan1301 Beal AvenueAnn ArborMI48109USA
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14
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Yeung CWS, Andrei V, Lee TH, Durrant JR, Reisner E. Organic Semiconductor-BiVO 4 Tandem Devices for Solar-Driven H 2O and CO 2 Splitting. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2404110. [PMID: 38943473 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202404110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices offer a promising platform toward direct solar light harvesting and chemical storage through artificial photosynthesis. However, most prototypes employ wide bandgap semiconductors, moisture-sensitive inorganic light absorbers, or corrosive electrolytes. Here, the design and assembly of PEC devices based on an organic donor-acceptor bulk heterojunction (BHJ) using a carbon-based encapsulant are introduced, which demonstrate long-term H2 evolution and CO2 reduction in benign aqueous media. Accordingly, PCE10:EH-IDTBR photocathodes display long-term H2 production for 300 h in a near-neutral pH solution, whereas photocathodes with a molecular CO2 reduction catalyst attain a CO:H2 selectivity of 5.41±0.53 under 0.1 sun irradiation. Their early onset potential enables the construction of tandem PCE10:EH-IDTBR - BiVO4 artificial leaves, which couple unassisted syngas production with O2 evolution in a reactor completely powered by sunlight, sustaining a 1:1 ratio of CO to H2 over 96 h of operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Wing See Yeung
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Virgil Andrei
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Optoelectronics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Tack Ho Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry Education, Graduate Department of Chemical Materials, Institute for Plastic Information and Energy Materials, Sustainable Utilization of Photovoltaic Energy Research Center, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - James Robert Durrant
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Erwin Reisner
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
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15
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Lu Y, Lee BG, Lin C, Liu TK, Wang Z, Miao J, Oh SH, Kim KC, Zhang K, Park JH. Solar-driven highly selective conversion of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone using surface atom engineered BiVO 4 photoanodes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5475. [PMID: 38942757 PMCID: PMC11213950 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49662-7] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Dihydroxyacetone is the most desired product in glycerol oxidation reaction because of its highest added value and large market demand among all possible oxidation products. However, selectively oxidative secondary hydroxyl groups of glycerol for highly efficient dihydroxyacetone production still poses a challenge. In this study, we engineer the surface of BiVO4 by introducing bismuth-rich domains and oxygen vacancies (Bi-rich BiVO4-x) to systematically modulate the surface adsorption of secondary hydroxyl groups and enhance photo-induced charge separation for photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation into dihydroxyacetone conversion. As a result, the Bi-rich BiVO4-x increases the glycerol oxidation photocurrent density of BiVO4 from 1.42 to 4.26 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode under AM 1.5 G illumination, as well as the dihydroxyacetone selectivity from 54.0% to 80.3%, finally achieving a dihydroxyacetone production rate of 361.9 mmol m-2 h-1 that outperforms all reported values. The surface atom customization opens a way to regulate the solar-driven organic transformation pathway toward a carbon chain-balanced product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Lu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung Guan Lee
- Computational Materials Design Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, the Republic of Korea
| | - Cheng Lin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Tae-Kyung Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiaming Miao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Sang Ho Oh
- Department of Energy Engineering, Institute for Energy Materials and Devices, Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH), Naju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Chul Kim
- Computational Materials Design Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, the Republic of Korea.
| | - Kan Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jong Hyeok Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Feng C, Fu H, Shao X, Zhan F, Zhang Y, Wan L, Wang W, Zhou Q, Liu M, Cheng X. Unveiling the effect of the structural transformation of CoZn-MOF on BiVO 4 photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water oxidation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 664:838-847. [PMID: 38493649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.038] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been widely investigated for solar-to-hydrogen conversion. However, issues like high charge recombination rate and slow surface water oxidation kinetics severely hinder its (PEC) conversion efficiency. Herein, we constructed MOF-derived CoOOH cocatalyst on BiVO4 photoanode, using a feasible electrochemical activation strategy. The BiVO4-based photoanode obtained shows a high photocurrent density of 3.15 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE and low onset potential. Detailed experiments and theoretical calculations show that during the activation of CoZn-MOFs, there was a partial breakage of 2-methylimidazole (mIM) linker, an increase in the oxidation state of Cobalt ion (Co), and increased O2-. The high PEC performance is mainly attributed to the MOF-derived CoOOH, which provides rich active sites for hole extraction and reduces the overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, when CoZnNiFe-LDHs were decorated on BiVO4 using the ions exchange method, the photocurrent density of BiVO4/CoZnNiFe-LDHs photoanode got to 4.0 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, accompanied with high stability. This study provides insights into understanding the key role played by the structural transformation of MOF cocatalyst in PEC water splitting processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Feng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China.
| | - Houyu Fu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xiaojiao Shao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Faqi Zhan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yiming Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Lei Wan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, NingXia, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China.
| | - Maocheng Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, 287 Langongping Road, Lanzhou 730050, China.
| | - Xiang Cheng
- College of Science, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China.
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17
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Korell L, Lauterbach S, Timm J, Wang L, Mellin M, Kundmann A, Wu Q, Tian C, Marschall R, Hofmann JP, Osterloh FE, Einert M. On the structural evolution of nanoporous optically transparent CuO photocathodes upon calcination for photoelectrochemical applications. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:2875-2891. [PMID: 38817433 PMCID: PMC11134239 DOI: 10.1039/d4na00199k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Copper oxides are promising photocathode materials for solar hydrogen production due to their narrow optical band gap energy allowing broad visible light absorption. However, they suffer from severe photocorrosion upon illumination, mainly due to copper reduction. Nanostructuring has been proven to enhance the photoresponse of CuO photocathodes; however, there is a lack of precise structural control on the nanoscale upon sol-gel synthesis and calcination for achieving optically transparent CuO thin film photoabsorbers. In this study, nanoporous and nanocrystalline CuO networks were prepared by a soft-templating and dip-coating method utilizing poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (Pluronic® F-127) as a structure-directing agent, resulting for the first-time in uniformly structured, crack-free, and optically transparent CuO thin films. The photoelectrochemical properties of the nanoporous CuO frameworks were investigated as a function of the calcination temperature and film thickness, revealing important information about the photocurrent, photostability, and photovoltage. Based on surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV), the films are p-type and generate up to 60 mV photovoltage at 2.0 eV (0.050 mW cm-2) irradiation for the film annealed at 750 °C. For these high annealing temperatures, the nanocrystalline domains in the thin film structure are more developed, resulting in improved electronic quality. In aqueous electrolytes with or without methyl viologen (as a fast electron acceptor), CuO films show cathodic photocurrents of up to -2.4 mA cm-2 at 0.32 V vs. RHE (air mass (AM) 1.5). However, the photocurrents were found to be entirely due to photocorrosion of the films and decay to near zero over the course of 20 min under AM 1.5 illumination. These fundamental results on the structural and morphological development upon calcination provide a direction and show the necessity for further (surface) treatment of sol-gel derived CuO photocathodes for photoelectrochemical applications. The study demonstrates how to control the size of nanopores starting from mesopore formation at 400 °C to the evolution of macroporous frameworks at 750 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Korell
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Stefan Lauterbach
- Institute for Applied Geosciences, Geomaterial Science, Technical University of Darmstadt Schnittspahnstraße 9 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Jana Timm
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth Universitätsstraße 30 95447 Bayreuth Germany
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Maximilian Mellin
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Anna Kundmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of California One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Qingyang Wu
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Chuanmu Tian
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Roland Marschall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth Universitätsstraße 30 95447 Bayreuth Germany
| | - Jan P Hofmann
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Frank E Osterloh
- Department of Chemistry, University of California One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Marcus Einert
- Surface Science Laboratory, Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt Otto-Berndt-Straße 3 64287 Darmstadt Germany
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18
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Wang J, He J, Ma J, Wang X, Feng C, Zhou Q, Zhang H, Wang Y. In-Sb Covalent Bonds over Sb 2Se 3/In 2Se 3 Heterojunction for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:10068-10078. [PMID: 38758008 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Antimony selenide is a promising P-type photocatalyst, but it has a large number of deep energy level defects, leading to severe carrier recombination. The construction of a heterojunction is a common way to resolve this problem. However, the conventional heterojunction system inevitably introduces interface defects. Herein, we employ in situ synthesis to epitaxially grow In2Se3 nanosheets on Sb2Se3 nanorods and form In-Sb covalent interfacial bonds. This petal-shaped heterostructure reduced interface defects and enhanced the efficiency of carrier separation and transport. In this work, the photocurrent density in the proposed Sb2Se3/In2Se3 photocathode is 0.485 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE, which is 30 times higher than that of pristine Sb2Se3 and it has prominent long-term stability for 24 h without obvious decay. The results reveal that the synergy of the bidirectional built-in electric field constructed between In2Se3 and Sb2Se3 and the solid In-Sb interfacial bonds together build a high-efficiency transport channel for the photogenerated carriers that display enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance. This work provides efficient guidance for reducing interface defects via the in situ synthesis and construction of interfacial bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Jialing He
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Jinling Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Chuanzhen Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Qingxia Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
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19
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Abdelmoneim A, Elfayoumi MAK, Abdel-Wahab MS, Al-Enizi AM, Lee JK, Tawfik WZ. Enhanced solar-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting using nanoflower Au/CuO/GaN hybrid photoanodes. RSC Adv 2024; 14:16846-16858. [PMID: 38784418 PMCID: PMC11114097 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01931h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Harnessing solar energy for large-scale hydrogen fuel (H2) production shows promise in addressing the energy crisis and ecological degradation. This study focuses on the development of GaN-based photoelectrodes for efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, enabling environmentally friendly H2 production. Herein, a novel nanoflower Au/CuO/GaN hybrid structure was successfully synthesized using a combination of methods including successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), RF/DC sputtering, and metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) techniques. Structural, morphological, and optical characteristics and elemental composition of the prepared samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, respectively. PEC and electrochemical impedance measurements were performed for all samples. The nanoflower Au/CuO/GaN hybrid structure exhibited the highest photocurrent density of ∼4 mA cm-2 at 1.5 V vs. RHE in a Na2SO4 electrolyte with recorded moles of H2 of about 3246 μmol h-1 cm-2. By combining these three materials in a unique structure, we achieved improved performance in the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. The nanoflower structure provides a large surface area and promotes light absorption while the Au, CuO, and GaN components contribute to efficient charge separation and transfer. This study presents a promising strategy for advancing sustainable H2 production via efficient solar-driven water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alhoda Abdelmoneim
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University Beni-Suef 62511 Egypt
| | - M A K Elfayoumi
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University Beni-Suef 62511 Egypt
| | - Mohamed Sh Abdel-Wahab
- Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University Beni-Suef 62511 Egypt
| | - Abdullah M Al-Enizi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University P. O. Box 2455 Riyadh 11451 Saudi Arabia
| | - June Key Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University Gwangju 61186 Republic of Korea
| | - Wael Z Tawfik
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University Beni-Suef 62511 Egypt
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20
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Kim H, Lee J, Kong H, Park T, Kim TS, Yang H, Yeo J. Laser-Printed Photoanode: Femtosecond Laser-Induced Crystalline Phase Transformation of WO 3 Nanorods for Space-Efficient and Flexible Thin-Film Solar Water-Splitting Cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2402051. [PMID: 38733227 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202402051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite its potential for clean hydrogen harvesting, photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting cells face challenges in commercialization, particularly related its harvesting performance and productivity at an industrial scale. Herein, a facile fabrication method of flexible thin-film photoanode for PEC water-splitting to overcome these limitations, based on laser processing technologies, is proposed. Laser-induced graphene, a carbon structure produced through direct laser writing carbonization (DLWC), plays a dual role: a flexible and stable current collector and a substrate for the hydrothermal synthesis of tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanorods (NRs). To facilitate water-splitting, a femtosecond-pulsed laser (fs laser) is focused on the WO3 NRs, converting their crystalline phase from pristine orthorhombic to monoclinic structure without thermal damage. With NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) catalyst, the flexible thin-film photoanode exhibits good PEC performance (1.46 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE) and retains ≈90% of its performance after 3000 bending cycles. With its excellent mechanical properties, the flexible photoanode can be operated in various shapes with different curvatures, enabling space-efficient PEC water-splitting by loading larger photoanode within a given space. This study is expected to contribute to the advancement of large-scale solar water-splitting cells, introducing a new approach to enhance H2/O2 production and expand its application range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonwoo Kim
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jehoon Lee
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Heejung Kong
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeuk Park
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Sung Kim
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Haechang Yang
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Junyeob Yeo
- Novel Applied Nano Optics Lab, Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hydrogen & Renewable Energy, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
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21
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Kageshima Y, Takano H, Nishizawa M, Takagi F, Kumagai H, Teshima K, Domen K, Nishikiori H. Precise analyses of photoelectrochemical reactions on particulate Zn 0.25Cd 0.75Se photoanodes in nonaqueous electrolytes using Ru bipyridyl complexes as a probe. Chem Sci 2024; 15:6679-6689. [PMID: 38725509 PMCID: PMC11077565 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00511b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombination of photoexcited carriers at interface states is generally believed to strongly govern the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of semiconductors in electrolytes. Sacrificial reagents (e.g., methanol or Na2SO3) are often used to assess the ideal PEC performance of photoanodes in cases of minimised interfacial recombination kinetics as well as accelerated surface reaction kinetics. However, varying the sacrificial reagents in the electrolyte means simultaneously changing the equilibrium potential and the number of electrons required to perform the sacrificial reaction, and thus the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the PEC reactions cannot be distinguished. In the present study, we propose an alternative methodology to experimentally evaluate the energy levels of interfacial recombination centres that can reduce PEC performance. We prepare nonaqueous electrolytes containing three different Ru complexes with different bipyridyl ligands; redox reactions of Ru complexes represent one-electron processes with similar charge transfer rates and diffusion coefficients. Therefore, the Ru complexes can serve as a probe to isolate and evaluate only the thermodynamic aspects of PEC reactions. Recombination centres at the interface between a nonaqueous electrolyte and a Zn0.25Cd0.75Se particulate photoanode are elucidated using this method as a model case. The energy level at which photocorrosion proceeds is also determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Kageshima
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials (RISM), Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
| | - Hiroto Takano
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
| | - Mika Nishizawa
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
| | - Fumiaki Takagi
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
| | - Hiromu Kumagai
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku Tokyo 153-8904 Japan
| | - Katsuya Teshima
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials (RISM), Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
| | - Kazunari Domen
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials (RISM), Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
- Office of University Professors, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8656 Japan
| | - Hiromasa Nishikiori
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials (RISM), Shinshu University 4-17-1 Wakasato Nagano 380-8553 Japan
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22
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Choi JH, Lee HH, Jeon S, Sarker S, Kim DS, Stach EA, Cho HK. Photoilluminated Redox-Processed Rh 2P Nanoparticles on Photocathodes for Stable Hydrogen Production in Acidic Environments. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:21953-21964. [PMID: 38629409 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c02147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
While photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells show promise for solar-driven green hydrogen production, exploration of various light-absorbing multilayer coatings has yet to significantly enhance their hydrogen generation efficiency. Acidic conditions can enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics and reduce overpotential losses. However, prolonged acidic exposure deactivates noble metal electrocatalysts, hindering their long-term stability. Progress requires addressing catalyst degradation to enable stable, efficient, and acidic PEC cells. Here, we proposed a process design based on the photoilluminated redox deposition (PRoD) approach. We use this to grow crystalline Rh2P nanoparticles (NPs) with a size of 5-10 on 30 nm-thick TiO2, without annealing. Atomically precise reaction control was performed by using several cyclic voltammetry cycles coincident with light irradiation to create a system with optimal catalytic activity. The optimized photocathode, composed of Rh2P/TiO2/Al-ZnO/Cu2O/Sb-Cu2O/ITO, achieved an excellent photocurrent density of 8.2 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE and a durable water-splitting reaction in a strong acidic solution. Specifically, the Rh2P-loaded photocathode exhibited a 5.3-fold enhancement in mass activity compared to that utilizing just a Rh catalyst. Furthermore, in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was performed to observe the real-time growth process of Rh2P NPs in a liquid cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hoon Choi
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Hak Hyeon Lee
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungho Jeon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Swagotom Sarker
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Su Kim
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Eric A Stach
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Hyung Koun Cho
- School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
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23
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Dang K, Liu S, Wu L, Tang D, Xue J, Wang J, Ji H, Chen C, Zhang Y, Zhao J. Bias distribution and regulation in photoelectrochemical overall water-splitting cells. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae053. [PMID: 38666092 PMCID: PMC11044968 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The water oxidation half-reaction at anodes is always considered the rate-limiting step of overall water splitting (OWS), but the actual bias distribution between photoanodes and cathodes of photoelectrochemical (PEC) OWS cells has not been investigated systematically. In this work, we find that, for PEC cells consisting of photoanodes (nickel-modified n-Si [Ni/n-Si] and α-Fe2O3) with low photovoltage (Vph < 1 V), a large portion of applied bias is exerted on the Pt cathode for satisfying the hydrogen evolution thermodynamics, showing a thermodynamics-controlled characteristic. In contrast, for photoanodes (TiO2 and BiVO4) with Vph > 1 V, the bias required for cathode activation can be significantly reduced, exhibiting a kinetics-controlled characteristic. Further investigations show that the bias distribution can be regulated by tuning the electrolyte pH and using alternative half-reaction couplings. Accordingly, a volcano plot is presented for the rational design of the overall reactions and unbiased PEC cells. Motivated by this, an unbiased PEC cell consisting of a simple Ni/n-Si photoanode and Pt cathode is assembled, delivering a photocurrent density of 5.3 ± 0.2 mA cm-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Dang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Siqin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Daojian Tang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Xue
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongwei Ji
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chuncheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jincai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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24
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Zhu Z, Daboczi M, Chen M, Xuan Y, Liu X, Eslava S. Ultrastable halide perovskite CsPbBr 3 photoanodes achieved with electrocatalytic glassy-carbon and boron-doped diamond sheets. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2791. [PMID: 38555394 PMCID: PMC10981704 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47100-2] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Halide perovskites exhibit exceptional optoelectronic properties for photoelectrochemical production of solar fuels and chemicals but their instability in aqueous electrolytes hampers their application. Here we present ultrastable perovskite CsPbBr3-based photoanodes achieved with both multifunctional glassy carbon and boron-doped diamond sheets coated with Ni nanopyramids and NiFeOOH. These perovskite photoanodes achieve record operational stability in aqueous electrolytes, preserving 95% of their initial photocurrent density for 168 h of continuous operation with the glassy carbon sheets and 97% for 210 h with the boron-doped diamond sheets, due to the excellent mechanical and chemical stability of glassy carbon, boron-doped diamond, and nickel metal. Moreover, these photoanodes reach a low water-oxidation onset potential close to +0.4 VRHE and photocurrent densities close to 8 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE, owing to the high conductivity of glassy carbon and boron-doped diamond and the catalytic activity of NiFeOOH. The applied catalytic, protective sheets employ only earth-abundant elements and straightforward fabrication methods, engineering a solution for the success of halide perovskites in stable photoelectrochemical cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghui Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Matyas Daboczi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Minzhi Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yimin Xuan
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, China.
| | - Xianglei Liu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, China
| | - Salvador Eslava
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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25
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Long Y, Shen Y, Jiang P, Su H, Xian J, Sun Y, Yang J, Song H, Liu Q, Li G. Ultrafine Ru nanoparticles stabilized by V 8C 7/C for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction at all pH. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:763-771. [PMID: 38246797 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2024.01.014] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The development of cost-effective electrocatalysts with high efficiency and long durability for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains a great challenge in the field of water splitting. Herein, we design an ultrafine and highly dispersed Ru nanoparticles stabilized on porous V8C7/C matrix via pyrolysis of the metal-organic frameworks V-BDC (BDC: 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate). The obtained Ru-V8C7/C composite exhibits excellent HER performance in all pH ranges. At the overpotential of 40 mV, its mass activity is about 1.9, 4.1 and 9.4 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C in acidic, neutral and alkaline media, respectively. Meanwhile, Ru-V8C7/C shows the remarkably high stability in all pH ranges which, in particular, can maintain the current density of 10 mA cm-2 for over 150 h in 1.0 mol L-1 phosphate buffer saline (PBS). This outstanding HER performance can be attributed to the high intrinsic activity of Ru species and their strong interface interactions to the V8C7/C substrate. The synergistic effect of abundant active sites on the surface and the formed Ru-C-V units at the interface promotes the adsorption of reaction intermediates and the release of active sites, contributing the fast HER kinetics. This work provides a reference for developing versatile and robust HER catalysts by surface and interface regulation for pH tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanju Long
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Pingping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hui Su
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China; Key Laboratory of Light Energy Conversion Materials of Hunan Province College, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Jiahui Xian
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yamei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Haili Song
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qinghua Liu
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230029, China
| | - Guangqin Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Lehn Institute of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for High Performance Polymeric Composites, Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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26
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Vilanova A, Dias P, Lopes T, Mendes A. The route for commercial photoelectrochemical water splitting: a review of large-area devices and key upscaling challenges. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:2388-2434. [PMID: 38288870 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs01069g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Green-hydrogen is considered a "key player" in the energy market for the upcoming decades. Among currently available hydrogen (H2) production processes, photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has one of the lowest environmental impacts. However, it still presents prohibitively high production costs compared to more mature technologies, such as steam methane reforming. Therefore, the competitiveness of PEC water splitting must rely on its environmental and functional advantages, which are strongly linked to the reactor design, to the intrinsic properties of its components, and to their successful upscaling. This review gives special attention to the engineering aspects and categorizes PEC devices into four main types, according to the configuration of electrodes and strategies for gas separation: wired back-to-back, wireless back-to-back, wired side-by-side, and wired separated electrode membrane-free. Independently of the device architecture, the use of concentrated sunlight was found to be mandatory for achieving competitive green-H2 production. Additionally, feasible strategies for upscaling the key components of PEC devices, especially photoelectrodes, are urgently needed. In a pragmatic context, the way to move forward is to accept that PEC devices will operate close to their thermodynamic limits at large-scale, which requires a solid convergence between academics and industry. Research efforts must be redirected to: (i) build and demonstrate modular devices with a low-cost and highly recyclable embodiment; (ii) optimize thermal and power management; (iii) reduce ohmic losses; (iv) enhance the chemical stability towards a thousand hours; (v) couple solar concentrators with PEC devices; (vi) boost PEC-H2 production through the use of organic compounds; and (vii) reach consensual standardized methods for evaluating PEC devices, at both environmental and techno-economic levels. If these targets are not met in the next few years, the feasibility of PEC-H2 production and its acceptance by industry and by the general public will be seriously compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- António Vilanova
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
- INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, 4715-330, Braga, Portugal
| | - Paula Dias
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Tânia Lopes
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Adélio Mendes
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
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27
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Liu C, Li F, Wang L, Li Z, Zhao Y, Li Y, Li W, Zhao Z, Fan K, Li F, Sun L. Polymeric viologen-based electron transfer mediator for improving the photoelectrochemical water splitting on Sb 2Se 3 photocathode. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:291-299. [PMID: 38933506 PMCID: PMC11197680 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.03.013] [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: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The photogenerated charge carrier separation and transportation of inside photocathodes can greatly influence the performance of photoelectrochemical (PEC) H2 production devices. Coupling TiO2 with p-type semiconductors to construct heterojunction structures is one of the most widely used strategies to facilitate charge separation and transportation. However, the band position of TiO2 could not perfectly match with all p-type semiconductors. Here, taking antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) as an example, a rational strategy was developed by introducing a viologen electron transfer mediator (ETM) containing polymeric film (poly-1,1'-dially-[4,4'-bipyridine]-1,1'-diium, denoted as PV2+) at the interface between Sb2Se3 and TiO2 to regulate the energy band alignment, which could inhibit the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers of interfaces. With Pt as a catalyst, the constructed Sb2Se3/PV2+/TiO2/Pt photocathode showed a superior PEC hydrogen generation activity with a photocurrent density of -18.6 mA cm-2 vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a half-cell solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (HC-STH) of 1.54% at 0.17 V vs. RHE, which was much better than that of the related Sb2Se3/TiO2/Pt photocathode without PV2+ (-9.8 mA cm-2, 0.51% at 0.10 V vs. RHE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Fusheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Linqin Wang
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels, School of Science, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Zeju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yilong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yingzheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wenlong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Ziqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Ke Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Licheng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Institute of Artificial Photosynthesis, DUT-KTH Joint Education and Research Centre on Molecular Devices, Institute for Energy Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels, School of Science, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
- Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10044, Sweden
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28
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Kang B, Tan J, Kim K, Kang D, Lee H, Ma S, Park YS, Yun J, Lee S, Lee CU, Jang G, Lee J, Moon J, Lee H. Stable water splitting using photoelectrodes with a cryogelated overlayer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1495. [PMID: 38374159 PMCID: PMC10876939 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45701-5] [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: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen production techniques based on solar-water splitting have emerged as carbon-free energy systems. Many researchers have developed highly efficient thin-film photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices made of low-cost and earth-abundant materials. However, solar water splitting systems suffer from short lifetimes due to catalyst instability that is attributed to both chemical dissolution and mechanical stress produced by hydrogen bubbles. A recent study found that the nanoporous hydrogel could prevent the structural degradation of the PEC devices. In this study, we investigate the protection mechanism of the hydrogel-based overlayer by engineering its porous structure using the cryogelation technique. Tests for cryogel overlayers with varied pore structures, such as disconnected micropores, interconnected micropores, and surface macropores, reveal that the hydrogen gas trapped in the cryogel protector reduce shear stress at the catalyst surface by providing bubble nucleation sites. The cryogelated overlayer effectively preserves the uniformly distributed platinum catalyst particles on the device surface for over 200 h. Our finding can help establish semi-permanent photoelectrochemical devices to realize a carbon-free society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byungjun Kang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeiwan Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, USA
| | - Kyungmin Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Donyoung Kang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungsoo Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunihl Ma
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Sun Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Juwon Yun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Soobin Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Uk Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyumin Jang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongyoub Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jooho Moon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyungsuk Lee
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Bhattacharjee S, Linley S, Reisner E. Solar reforming as an emerging technology for circular chemical industries. Nat Rev Chem 2024:10.1038/s41570-023-00567-x. [PMID: 38291132 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00567-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The adverse environmental impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and persistent waste accumulation are driving the demand for sustainable approaches to clean-energy production and waste recycling. By coupling the thermodynamically favourable oxidation of waste-derived organic carbon streams with fuel-forming reduction reactions suitable for producing clean hydrogen or converting CO2 to fuels, solar reforming simultaneously valorizes waste and generates useful chemical products. With appropriate light harvesting, catalyst design, device configurations and waste pre-treatment strategies, a range of sustainable fuels and value-added chemicals can already be selectively produced from diverse waste feedstocks, including biomass and plastics, demonstrating the potential of solar-powered upcycling plants. This Review highlights solar reforming as an emerging technology that is currently transitioning from fundamental research towards practical application. We investigate the chemistry and compatibility of waste pre-treatment, introduce process classifications, explore the mechanisms of different solar reforming technologies, and suggest appropriate concepts, metrics and pathways for various deployment scenarios in a net-zero-carbon future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stuart Linley
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Erwin Reisner
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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30
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Wang X, Zhang H, Feng C, Wang Y. Engineering band structuring via dual atom modification for an efficient photoanode. Chem Sci 2024; 15:896-905. [PMID: 38239699 PMCID: PMC10793595 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05420a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient carrier separation is important for improving photoelectrochemical water splitting. Here, the morphology modification and band structure engineering of Ta3N5 are accomplished by doping it with Cu and Zr using a two-step method for the first time. The initially interstitially-doped Cu atoms act as anchors to interact with subsequently doped Zr atoms under the influence of differences in electronegativity. This interaction results in Cu,Zrg-Ta3N5 having a dense morphology and higher crystallinity, which helps to reduce carrier recombination at grain boundaries. Furthermore, the gradient doping of Zr generates a band edge energy gradient, which significantly enhances bulk charge separation efficiency. Therefore, a photoanode based on Cu,Zrg-Ta3N5 delivers an onset potential of 0.38 VRHE and a photocurrent density of 8.9 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE. Among all the Ta3N5-based photoanodes deposited on FTO, a Cu,Zrg-Ta3N5-based photoanode has the lowest onset potential and highest photocurrent. The novel material morphology regulation and band edge position engineering strategies described herein provide new ideas for the preparation of other semiconductor nanoparticles to improve the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Wang
- The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District Chongqing City 400044 P. R. China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District Chongqing City 400044 P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University Huhehaote 010022 P. R. China
| | - Chuanzhen Feng
- The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District Chongqing City 400044 P. R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District Chongqing City 400044 P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University Huhehaote 010022 P. R. China
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31
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Fu W, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Yang H, Xie R, Zhang S, Lv Y, Xiong L. Progress in Promising Semiconductor Materials for Efficient Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Production. Molecules 2024; 29:289. [PMID: 38257202 PMCID: PMC10819766 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020289] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water decomposition provides a promising method for converting solar energy into green hydrogen energy. Indeed, significant advances and improvements have been made in various fundamental aspects for cutting-edge applications, such as water splitting and hydrogen production. However, the fairly low PEC efficiency of water decomposition by a semiconductor photoelectrode and photocorrosion seriously restrict the practical application of photoelectrochemistry. In this review, the mechanisms of PEC water decomposition are first introduced to provide a solid understanding of the PEC process and ensure that this review is accessible to a wide range of readers. Afterwards, notable achievements to date are outlined, and unique approaches involving promising semiconductor materials for efficient PEC hydrogen production, including metal oxide, sulfide, and graphite-phase carbon nitride, are described. Finally, four strategies which can effectively improve the hydrogen production rate-morphological control, doping, heterojunction, and surface modification-are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weisong Fu
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Xi Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Hui Yang
- School of Medical Information Engineering, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341004, China
| | - Ruihao Xie
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Shaoan Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yang Lv
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Liangbin Xiong
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China; (W.F.); (Y.Z.); (X.Z.); (R.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.L.)
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Peng S, Liu D, An K, Ying Z, Chen M, Feng J, Lo KH, Pan H. n-Si/SiO x /CoO x -Mo Photoanode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2304376. [PMID: 37649206 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Green hydrogen is considered to be the key for solving the emerging energy and environmental issues. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) process for the production of green hydrogen has been widely investigated because solar power is clean and renewable. However, mass production in this way is still far away from reality. Here, a Si photoanode is reported with CoOx as co-catalyst for efficient water oxidation. It is found that a high photovoltage of 350 mV can be achieved in 1.0 m K3 BO3 . Importantly, the photovoltage can be further increased to 650 mV and the fill factor of 0.62 is obtained in 1.0 m K3 BO3 by incorporating Mo into CoOx . The Mo-incorporated photoanode is also highly stable. It is shown that the incorporation of Mo can reduce the particle size of co-catalyst on the Si surface, improve the particle-distribution uniformity, and increase the density of particles, which can effectively enhance the light absorption and the electrochemical active surface area. Importantly, the Mo-incorporation results in high energy barrier in the heterojunction. All of these factors are attributed to improved the PEC performance. These findings may provide new strategies to maximize the solar-to-fuel efficiency by tuning the co-catalysts on the Si surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Peng
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
| | - Di Liu
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
| | - Keyu An
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
| | - Zhiqin Ying
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Ningbo City, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Mingpeng Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Materials & Technology, School of Materials and Energy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Jinxian Feng
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
| | - Kin Ho Lo
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
| | - Hui Pan
- Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macao S. A. R., 999078, China
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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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34
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Wang D, Fu Q, Tian J, Zhou H, Liu R, Zhan D, Peng Z, Han C. Piezoelectric polarization induced by dual piezoelectric materials ZnO nanosheets/MoS 2 heterostructure for enhancing photoelectrochemical water splitting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 653:1166-1176. [PMID: 37788584 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.09.157] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) has a broad range of applications in piezo-photoelectrochemical water splitting. However, the narrow light absorption range and high photogenerated carrier recombination efficiency make ZnO somewhat limited in applying piezo-photoelectrochemical water splitting. Heterogeneous structure construction is a superior handle to these two drawbacks. Herein, few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanospheres are compounded on ZnO nanosheets (NSs) to form a dual-piezoelectric-material heterojunction of ZnO NSs/MoS2. The photocurrent density of ZnO NSs/MoS2 reaches 0.68 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE under ultrasonic vibrations. It is 2.4 times higher than that of ZnO NSs under ultrasonic vibrations. The efficient piezo-photoelectrochemical performance is attributed to increased absorption range and polarization field. On the one hand, the narrow band gap of the few-layer MoS2 widens the light absorption range of ZnO. On the other hand, compared to pure ZnO NSs, ZnO NSs/MoS2 has an enhanced polarization field under ultrasonic vibrations due to the piezoelectric properties of dual piezoelectric materials, which dramatically accelerates the electron transfer and suppresses the recombination of between electrons and holes. This work provides a new approach to constructing photoelectrodes with effective piezoelectric photocatalytic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Qian Fu
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Jiayi Tian
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, No. 28, Nanli Road, Hong-shan District, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Hongmiao Zhou
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Rui Liu
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Difu Zhan
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Zhuo Peng
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Changcun Han
- National "111 Research Center" Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits, Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Energy Photoelectric Device and System, School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Building Green Functional Materials, Tianjin Chengjian University, 300384 Tianjin, China.
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35
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Lin C, Shan Z, Dong C, Lu Y, Meng W, Zhang G, Cai B, Su G, Park JH, Zhang K. Covalent organic frameworks bearing Ni active sites for free radical-mediated photoelectrochemical organic transformations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi9442. [PMID: 37939175 PMCID: PMC10631720 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi9442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) organic transformations occurring at anodes are a promising strategy for circumventing the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction. Here, we report a free radical-mediated reaction instead of direct hole transfer occurring at the solid/liquid interface for PEC oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) to benzaldehyde (BAD) with high selectivity. A bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) photoanode coated with a 2,2'-bipyridine-based covalent organic framework bearing single Ni sites (Ni-TpBpy) was developed to drive the transformation. Experimental studies reveal that the reaction at the Ni-TpBpy/BiVO4 photoanode followed first-order reaction kinetics, boosting the formation of surface-bound ·OH radicals, which suppressed further BAD oxidation and provided a nearly 100% selectivity and a rate of 80.63 μmol hour-1 for the BA-to-BAD conversion. Because alcohol-to-aldehyde conversions are involved in the valorizations of biomass and plastics, this work is expected to open distinct avenues for producing key intermediates of great value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Lin
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhen Shan
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Chaoran Dong
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Weikun Meng
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Gen Zhang
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Bo Cai
- Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Guanyong Su
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Jong Hyeok Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Kan Zhang
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
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Cheng J, Wu L, Luo J. Improving the photovoltage of Cu 2O photocathodes with dual buffer layers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7228. [PMID: 37945577 PMCID: PMC10636130 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42799-x] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) is a promising oxide material for photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC), and increasing its photovoltage is the key to creating efficient overall PEC water-splitting devices. Previous reports are mostly focused on optimizing the energy band alignment between Cu2O and the n-type buffer layer to improve the photovoltage of Cu2O photocathodes. However, the band alignment between the n-type buffer layer and the protective layer is often ignored. In this work, Cu2O photocathodes with a single buffer layer (Ga2O3) and dual buffer layers (Ga2O3/ZnGeOx) are fabricated, and their PEC performances are compared. Results show that after inserting the second buffer layer (ZnGeOx), the onset potential of the Cu2O photocathode increases by 0.16 V. Operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements and analysis of the energy-level diagrams of each layer show that an energy level gradient between Ga2O3 and TiO2 is created when ZnGeOx is introduced, which eliminates the potential barrier at the interface of Ga2O3/TiO2 and improves the photovoltage of the Cu2O photocathode. Our work provides an effective approach to improve the photovoltage of photoelectrodes for solar water splitting by introducing dual buffer layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshui Cheng
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials and Cells, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Nankai University, 300350, Tianjin, China
| | - Linxiao Wu
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials and Cells, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Nankai University, 300350, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingshan Luo
- Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials and Cells, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Nankai University, 300350, Tianjin, China.
- Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China.
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Olejnik A, Polaczek K, Szkodo M, Stanisławska A, Ryl J, Siuzdak K. Laser-Induced Graphitization of Polydopamine on Titania Nanotubes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15. [PMID: 37915241 PMCID: PMC10658452 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of laser-induced graphite/graphene, there has been a notable surge of scientific interest in advancing diverse methodologies for their synthesis and applications. This study focuses on the utilization of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser to achieve graphitization of polydopamine (PDA) deposited on the surface of titania nanotubes. The partial graphitization is corroborated through Raman and XPS spectroscopies and supported by water contact angle, nanomechanical, and electrochemical measurements. Reactive molecular dynamics simulations confirm the possibility of graphitization in the nanosecond time scale with the evolution of NH3, H2O, and CO2 gases. A thorough exploration of the lasing parameter space (wavelength, pulse energy, and number of pulses) was conducted with the aim of improving either electrochemical activity or photocurrent generation. Whereas the 532 nm laser pulses interacted mostly with the PDA coating, the 365 nm pulses were absorbed by both PDA and the substrate nanotubes, leading to a higher graphitization degree. The majority of the photocurrent and quantum efficiency enhancement is observed in the visible light between 400 and 550 nm. The proposed composite is applied as a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor of serotonin in nanomolar concentrations. Because of the suppressed recombination and facilitated charge transfer caused by the laser graphitization, the proposed composite exhibits significantly enhanced PEC performance. In the sensing application, it showed superior sensitivity and a limit of detection competitive with nonprecious metal materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Olejnik
- Department
of Metrology and Optoelectronics, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications
and Informatics, Gdańsk University
of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 St., Gdańsk 80-233, Poland
- Centre
for Plasma and Laser Engineering, The Szewalski
Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Fiszera 14 St., Gdańsk 80-231, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Polaczek
- Centre
for Plasma and Laser Engineering, The Szewalski
Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Fiszera 14 St., Gdańsk 80-231, Poland
- Department
of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry
University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63 St, Gdańsk 80-308, Poland
| | - Marek Szkodo
- Institute
of Manufacturing and Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
and Ship Technology, Gdańsk University
of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 St., Gdańsk 80-233, Poland
| | - Alicja Stanisławska
- Institute
of Manufacturing and Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
and Ship Technology, Gdańsk University
of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 St., Gdańsk 80-233, Poland
| | - Jacek Ryl
- Institute
of Nanotechnology and Materials Engineering and Advanced Materials
Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, Gdańsk 80-233, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Siuzdak
- Centre
for Plasma and Laser Engineering, The Szewalski
Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Fiszera 14 St., Gdańsk 80-231, Poland
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Morawski OW, Gawryś P, Sobolewski AL. Harnessing Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer for Hydrogenation of Aza-Arenes: Photochemistry of Quinoxaline Derivatives in Methanol. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:8871-8881. [PMID: 37842877 PMCID: PMC10614181 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c05077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Three quinoxaline derivatives are investigated both experimentally and theoretically to assess their ability for the methanol oxidation and harvesting of hydrogen. In inert solvents, the nonplanar compounds exhibit very weak fluorescence from the lowest excited singlet state, whereas the planar and rigid chromophore emits non-Kasha fluorescence from the S2(ππ*) state despite the proximity of the S1(nπ*) state. In methanol, hydrogen-bonded complexes with solvent molecules are formed, and in all chromophores, the lowest singlet state is populated after excitation of the S2(ππ*) state. The switch from non-Kasha emission of the planar compound in inert solvents to regular emission in methanol is related to reduced symmetry of the hydrogen-bonded complex with methanol which results in effective mixing of ππ* and nπ* states and fast internal conversion to the lowest excited singlet state. The S1(nπ*) state of the hydrogen-bonded complex has charge-transfer character, and for all compounds in methanol, hydrogen transfer to the chromophore is observed. The chromophores retain the transferred hydrogen atoms, serving both as photocatalysts and as hydrogen storage materials. Undesired dark side reactions that occur are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf W. Morawski
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Gawryś
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej L. Sobolewski
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
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Guan Y, Gu X, Deng Q, Wang S, Li Z, Yan S, Zou Z. Synergy Effect of the Enhanced Local Electric Field and Built-In Electric Field of CoS/Mo-Doped BiVO 4 for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:16919-16931. [PMID: 37792966 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Bismuth vanadate is a promising material for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. However, it suffers from a low quantum efficiency, poor stability, and slow water oxidation kinetics. Here, we developed a novel photoanode of CoS/Mo-BiVO4 with excellent photoelectrochemical water oxidation performance. It achieved a photocurrent density of 4.5 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, ∼4 times that of BiVO4. The CoS/Mo-BiVO4 photoanode also exhibited good stability, and the photocurrent density generated by the CoS/Mo-BiVO4 photoanode did not significantly decrease after light irradiation for 2 h. Upon replacement of part of the V with Mo doping in BiVO4, the local electric field around the Mo-O bond was enhanced, thus promoting carrier separation in BiVO4. The CoS was deposited on the surface of Mo-BiVO4, forming a built-in electric field at the interface. Under the action of the bias electric field and the built-in electric field, the carriers of CoS/Mo-BiVO4 were efficiently separated in the direction of the inverse type II heterojunction. In addition, CoS improved the light absorption and charge injection efficiency of the CoS/Mo-BiVO4 photoanode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Guan
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Fine Petrochemical Engineering, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, P. R. China
| | - Xinyi Gu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Fine Petrochemical Engineering, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, P. R. China
| | - Qiankun Deng
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Fine Petrochemical Engineering, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, P. R. China
| | - Shaomang Wang
- School of Urban Construction, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, P. R. China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Fine Petrochemical Engineering, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, P. R. China
| | - Shicheng Yan
- Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
| | - Zhigang Zou
- Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China
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40
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Zhang Y, Zhou S, Sun K. Cu 2ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) for Photoelectrochemical CO 2 Reduction: Efficiency, Selectivity, and Stability. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2762. [PMID: 37887913 PMCID: PMC10609760 DOI: 10.3390/nano13202762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Massive emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have caused environmental issues like global warming, which needs to be addressed. Researchers have developed numerous methods to reduce CO2 emissions. Among these, photoelectrochemical (PEC) CO2 reduction is a promising method for mitigating CO2 emissions. Recently, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) has been recognized as good photocathode candidate in PEC systems for CO2 reduction due to its earth abundance and non-toxicity, as well as its favourable optical/electrical properties. The performance of PEC CO2 reduction can be evaluated based on its efficiency, selectivity, and stability, which are significantly influenced by the photocathode materials. As a result, researchers have applied various strategies to improve the performance of CZTS photocathodes, including band structure engineering and surface catalytic site engineering. This review provides an overview of advanced methods to enhance the PEC systems for CO2 reduction, focusing on CZTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijia Zhang
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
| | - Shujie Zhou
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kaiwen Sun
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
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41
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Buckingham MA, Skelton JM, Lewis DJ. Synthetic Strategies toward High Entropy Materials: Atoms-to-Lattices for Maximum Disorder. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN 2023; 23:6998-7009. [PMID: 37808901 PMCID: PMC10557048 DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.3c00712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
High-entropy materials are a nascent class of materials that exploit a high configurational entropy to stabilize multiple elements in a single crystal lattice and to yield unique physical properties for applications in energy storage, catalysis, and thermoelectric energy conversion. Initially, the synthesis of these materials was conducted by approaches requiring high temperatures and long synthetic time scales. However, successful homogeneous mixing of elements at the atomic level within the lattice remains challenging, especially for the synthesis of nanomaterials. The use of atom-up synthetic approaches to build crystal lattices atom by atom, rather than the top-down alteration of extant crystalline lattices, could lead to faster, lower-temperature, and more sustainable approaches to obtaining high entropy materials. In this Perspective, we discuss some of these state-of-the-art atom-up synthetic approaches to high entropy materials and contrast them with more traditional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Buckingham
- Department
of Materials, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United
Kingdom
| | - Jonathan M. Skelton
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United
Kingdom
| | - David J. Lewis
- Department
of Materials, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United
Kingdom
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42
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Wu M, Li N, Shi M, Sun G, Shen W, Li Q, Ma J. Fabrication of multiphase MoSe 2 modified BiOCl nanosheets for efficient piezo-photoelectric hydrogen evolution and antibiotic degradation. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:12852-12861. [PMID: 37622402 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt02153j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Efficient spatial charge separation plays a crucial role in improving the photocatalytic performance. Therefore, 1T/2H MoSe2/BiOCl (1T/2H MS/BOC) and 2H MoSe2/BiOCl (2H MS/BOC) piezo-photocatalysts are synthesized. By combining piezoelectric catalysis and photocatalysis, a highly active piezo-photocatalytic process is realized. The optimal 1T/2H MS/BOC piezo-photocatalyst displays superior diclofenac (DCF) degradation and hydrogen (H2) evolution activity under the combined action of ultrasound and light. In particular, the DCF degradation kinetic constant (k) of optimal 0.5% 1T/2H MS/BOC under the synergistic effect of ultrasound and light is 0.057 min-1, which is 8.1 and 6.3 times higher than those of BiOCl (0.007 min-1) and 0.5% 2H MS/BOC (0.009 min-1). Moreover, the H2 evolution rate of 0.5% 1T/2H MS/BOC is 122.5 μmol g-1 h-1, which is also higher than those of BiOCl (45.8 μmol g-1 h-1) and 2H MS/BOC (49.5 μmol g-1 h-1). The dramatic improvement in the DCF degradation and H2 evolution piezo-photocatalytic performance of 1T/2H MS/BOC catalysts is ascribed to the built-in polarization electric field and abundance of active sites of 1T/2H MS/BOC as well as the advantageous band structure between BiOCl and 1T/2H MoSe2. Additionally, three probable degradation pathways of DCF were put forward from the results of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This study provides the design strategy of high efficiency piezo-photocatalysts in environmental purification and energy-generation fields based on phase and band structure engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mianmian Wu
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Nan Li
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Minghao Shi
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Guifang Sun
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Wenjing Shen
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Qingfei Li
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
| | - Jiangquan Ma
- Jiangsu Province Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
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43
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Chang Y, Han M, Ding Y, Wei H, Zhang D, Luo H, Li X, Yan X. Interface Engineering of CoFe-LDH Modified Ti: α-Fe 2O 3 Photoanode for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2579. [PMID: 37764609 PMCID: PMC10536217 DOI: 10.3390/nano13182579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Effectively regulating and promoting the charge separation and transfer of photoanodes is a key and challenging aspect of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. Herein, a Ti-doped hematite photoanode with a CoFe-LDH cocatalyst loaded on the surface was prepared through a series of processes, including hydrothermal treatment, annealing and electrodeposition. The prepared CoFe-LDH/Ti:α-Fe2O3 photoanode exhibited an outstanding photocurrent density of 3.06 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, which is five times higher than that of α-Fe2O3 alone. CoFe-LDH modification and Ti doping on hematite can boost the surface charge transfer efficiency, which is mainly attributed to the interface interaction between CoFe-LDH and Ti:α-Fe2O3. Furthermore, we investigated the role of Ti doping in enhancing the PEC performance of CoFe-LDH/Ti:α-Fe2O3. A series of characterizations and theoretical calculations revealed that, in addition to improving the electronic conductivity of the bulk material, Ti doping also further enhances the interface coupling of CoFe-LDH/α-Fe2O3 and finely regulates the interfacial electronic structure. These changes promote the rapid extraction of holes from hematite and facilitate charge separation and transfer. The informative findings presented in this work provide valuable insights for the design and construction of hematite photoanodes, offering guidance for achieving excellent performance in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Chang
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- BRI Southeast Asia Network for Corrosion and Protection (MOE), Shunde Innovation School, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Foshan 528399, China
| | - Minmin Han
- National Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Electrical Vehicle Power System, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yehui Ding
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Huiyun Wei
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- BRI Southeast Asia Network for Corrosion and Protection (MOE), Shunde Innovation School, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Foshan 528399, China
| | - Hong Luo
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
- National Materials Corrosion and Protection Data Center, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiongbo Yan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center Materials Genome Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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44
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Lineberry E, Kim J, Kim J, Roh I, Lin JA, Yang P. High-Photovoltage Silicon Nanowire for Biological Cofactor Production. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:19508-19512. [PMID: 37651703 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Photocathodic conversion of NAD+ to NADH cofactor is a promising platform for activating redox biological catalysts and enzymatic synthesis using renewable solar energy. However, many photocathodes suffer from low photovoltage, consequently requiring a high cathodic bias for NADH production. Here, we report an n+p-type silicon nanowire (n+p-SiNW) photocathode having a photovoltage of 435 mV to drive energy-efficient NADH production. The enhanced band bending at the n+/p interface accounts for the high photovoltage, which conduces to a benchmark onset potential [0.393 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE)] for SiNW-based photocathodic NADH generation. In addition, the n+p-SiNW nanomaterial exhibits a Faradaic efficiency of 84.7% and a conversion rate of 1.63 μmol h-1 cm-1 at 0.2 VRHE, which is the lowest cathodic potential to achieve the maximum productivity among SiNW-sensitized cofactor production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Lineberry
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jinhyun Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jimin Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Inwhan Roh
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jia-An Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Peidong Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Kavli Energy Nanosciences Institute, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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45
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Peerakiatkhajohn P, Yun JH, Butburee T, Lyu M, Takoon C, Thaweesak S. Dual functional WO 3/BiVO 4 heterostructures for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting and glycerol degradation. RSC Adv 2023; 13:18974-18982. [PMID: 37362599 PMCID: PMC10285356 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra02691d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Dual functional heterojunctions of tungsten oxide and bismuth vanadate (WO3/BiVO4) photoanodes are developed and their applications in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting and mineralization of glycerol are demonstrated. The thin-film WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrode was fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method. The morphology, chemical composition, crystalline structure, chemical state, and optical absorption properties of the WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrodes were characterized systematically. The WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrode exhibits a good distribution of elements and a well-crystalline monoclinic WO3 and monoclinic scheelite BiVO4. The light-absorption spectrum of the WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrodes reveals a broad absorption band in the visible light region with a maximum absorption of around 520 nm. The dual functional WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrodes achieved a high photocurrent density of 6.85 mA cm-2, which is 2.8 times higher than that of the pristine WO3 photoelectrode in the presence of a mixture of 0.5 M Na2SO4 and 0.5 M glycerol electrolyte under AM 1.5 G (100 mW cm-2) illumination. The superior PEC performance of the WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrode was attributed to the synergistic effects of the superior crystal structure, light absorption, and efficient charge separation. Simultaneously, glycerol plays an essential role in increasing the efficiency of hydrogen production by suppressing charge recombination in the water redox reaction. Moreover, the WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrode shows the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency of glycerol at about 82% at 120 min. Notably, the WO3/BiVO4 photoelectrode can be a promising photoelectrode for simultaneous hydrogen production and mineralization of glycerol with a simple, economical, and environmentally friendly approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jung-Ho Yun
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu Yongin-si Gyeonggi-do 17104 Republic of Korea
| | - Teera Butburee
- National Nanotechnology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency 111 Thailand Science Park Pathum Thani 12120 Thailand
| | - Miaoqiang Lyu
- Nanomaterials Centre, School of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4123 Australia
| | - Chawalit Takoon
- Mahidol University Frontier Research Facility (MU-FRF), Mahidol University Nakhon Pathom 73170 Thailand
| | - Supphasin Thaweesak
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Burapha University Chon Buri 20131 Thailand
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46
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Mamun AA, Billah A, Anisuzzaman Talukder M. Effects of activation overpotential in photoelectrochemical cells considering electrical and optical configurations. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17191. [PMID: 37484406 PMCID: PMC10361385 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) are a promising option for directly converting solar energy into chemical energy by producing hydrogen (H2) gas, thus providing a clean alternative to consuming fossil fuels. H2 as fuel is free from any carbon footprints and negative environmental impacts. Therefore, the H2 production, especially directly using sunlight in PECs, is critically important for the rapidly growing energy demand of the world. Although promising, PECs are inefficient and must overcome a few inherent losses in producing H2-the most important being the activation overpotential (ηa) required for splitting water. This work analyzes the impact of ηa on solar-to-fuel efficiency (ηSTF) and H2 production rate (HPR). This work also discusses choosing appropriate photo-absorbing materials based on their energy bandgaps and suitable electrode pairs to achieve desired ηSTF and HPR for different electrical and optical PEC configurations. Significant changes are observed in ηSTF and HPR when ηa is considered in water splitting.
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47
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Tan HJ, Zainal Z, Talib ZA, Lim HN, Shafie S, Tan ST, Bahrudin NN. Growth-control of hexagonal CdS-decorated ZnO nanorod arrays with low-temperature preheating treatment for improved properties and efficient photoelectrochemical applications. RSC Adv 2023; 13:14393-14411. [PMID: 37180000 PMCID: PMC10172825 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra01492d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The limitations of oxide semiconductor-based solar cells in achieving high energy conversion efficiencies have prompted incessant research efforts towards the creation of efficient heterostructures. Despite its toxicity, no other semiconducting material can fully replace CdS as a versatile visible light-absorbing sensitizer. Herein, we explore the aptness of preheating treatment in the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposition technique and improve the understanding of the principle and the effects of a controlled growth environment on thus-formed CdS thin films. Single hexagonal phases of nanostructured cadmium sulfide (CdS)-sensitized zinc oxide nanorods arrays (ZnO NRs) have been developed without the support of any complexing agent. The influences of film thickness, cationic solution pH and post-thermal treatment temperature on the characteristics of binary photoelectrodes have been investigated experimentally. Interestingly, the preheating-assisted deposition of CdS, which is rarely applied for the SILAR technique, resulted in improved photoelectrochemical performance similar to the post-annealing effect. The X-ray diffraction pattern revealed that optimized ZnO/CdS thin films were polycrystalline with high crystallinity. Examination of the morphology of the fabricated films via field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that film thickness and medium pH altered the growth mechanism of nanoparticles, thereby changing their particle sizes, which had a significant influence on the film's optical behavior. The effectiveness of CdS as a photosensitizer and the band edge alignment for ZnO/CdS heterostructures were evaluated using ultra-violet visible spectroscopy. Facile electron transfer in the binary system as evidenced in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy Nyquist plots, therefore, promotes higher photoelectrochemical efficiencies from 0.40% to 4.30% under visible light illumination as compared with the pristine ZnO NRs photoanode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huey Jing Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Zulkarnain Zainal
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
- Nanomaterials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Zainal Abidin Talib
- Department of Physics, College of Natural Sciences, Jeonbuk National University Jeonju-si Jeollabuk-do 54896 Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Ngee Lim
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Suhaidi Shafie
- Functional Nanotechnology Devices Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Sin Tee Tan
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
- School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 UKM Bangi Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia
| | - Noor Nazihah Bahrudin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
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48
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Wang Q, Liu J, Li Q, Yang J. Stability of Photocathodes: A Review on Principles, Design, and Strategies. CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202202186. [PMID: 36789473 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202202186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical devices based on semiconductor photoelectrode can directly convert and store solar energy into chemical fuels. Although the efficient photoelectrodes with commercially valuable solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency have been reported over past decades, one of the most enormous challenges is the stability of the photoelectrode due to corrosion during operation. Thus, it is of paramount importance for developing a stable photoelectrode to deploy solar-fuel production. This Review commences with a fundamental understanding of thermodynamics for photoelectrochemical reactions and the fundamentals of photocathodes. Then, the commercial application of photoelectrochemical technology is prospected. We specifically focus on recent strategies for designing photocathodes with long-term stability, including energy band alignment, hole transport/storage/blocking layer, spatial decoupling, grafting molecular catalysts, protective/passivation layer, surface element reconstruction, and solvent effects. Based on the insights gained from these effective strategies, we propose an outlook of key aspects that address the challenges for development of stable photoelectrodes in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglong Wang
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Jinfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Qiuye Li
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Jianjun Yang
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
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49
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Zhang B, Ruan M, Wang C, Guo Z, Liu Z. Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of α-Fe2O3 photoanode modified with NiCo layered double hydroxide. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2023.117388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
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50
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Zhang N, Li H, Yao B, Liu S, Ren J, Wang Y, Fang Z, Wu R, Wei S. Construction of WO 3 quantum dots/TiO 2 nanowire arrays type II heterojunction via electrostatic self-assembly for efficient solar-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:6284-6289. [PMID: 37083108 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt00483j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Construction of a heterojunction between quantum dots and TiO2 nanowire arrays via electrostatic self-assembly is rarely reported. In this work, mercury lamp irradiation was used to change the surface potential of WO3 quantum dots and TiO2 nanowire arrays, resulting in WO3 quantum dots tightly attached on the surface of TiO2 nanowire through electrostatic self-assembly. Photoelectrochemical measurements showed that the WO3 quantum dots formed a type II heterojunction with the TiO2 nanowire arrays rather than serving as carrier-trapping sites. In the self-assembly system, the TiO2 nanowire arrays provide a charge-transfer channel for the WO3 quantum dots, greatly improving the contribution of the WO3 quantum dots to the photocurrent. Quantitative calculations showed that the improvement of the bulk carrier-separation efficiency was the reason for the enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of the self-assembled system. The photocurrent density of the optical self-assembled system at 1.23 V (vs. RHE) was ∼5.5 times as high as that of the TiO2 nanowire arrays. More importantly, the self-assembled system exhibited excellent photoelectrochemical stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhang
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
- School of Physics Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China.
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Solid State Physics and Devices, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China
| | - Huili Li
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Bo Yao
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
| | - Shiyan Liu
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
| | - Jun Ren
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
| | - Yawei Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332005, China
| | - Zebo Fang
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
| | - Rong Wu
- School of Physics Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China.
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Solid State Physics and Devices, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China
| | - Shunhang Wei
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of MEMS, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
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