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Zhang H, Weiss I, Rudra I, Jo WJ, Kellner S, Katsoukis G, Galoppini E, Frei H. Controlling and Optimizing Photoinduced Charge Transfer across Ultrathin Silica Separation Membrane with Embedded Molecular Wires for Artificial Photosynthesis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:23532-23546. [PMID: 33983702 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ultrathin amorphous silica membranes with embedded organic molecular wires (oligo(p-phenylenevinylene), three aryl units) provide chemical separation of incompatible catalytic environments of CO2 reduction and H2O oxidation while maintaining electronic and protonic coupling between them. For an efficient nanoscale artificial photosystem, important performance criteria are high rate and directionality of charge flow. Here, the visible-light-induced charge flow from an anchored Ru bipyridyl light absorber across the silica nanomembrane to Co3O4 water oxidation catalyst is quantitatively evaluated by photocurrent measurements. Charge transfer rates increase linearly with wire density, with 5 nm-2 identified as an optimal target. Accurate measurement of wire and light absorber densities is accomplished by the polarized FT-IRRAS method. Guided by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, four wire derivatives featuring electron-donating (methoxy) and -withdrawing groups (sulfonate, perfluorophenyl) with highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) potentials ranging from 1.48 to 0.64 V vs NHE were synthesized and photocurrents evaluated. Charge transfer rates increase sharply with increasing driving force for hole transfer from the excited light absorber to the embedded wire, followed by a decrease as the HOMO potential of the wire moves beyond the Co3O4 valence band level toward more negative values, pointing to an optimal wire HOMO potential around 1.3 V vs NHE. Comparison with photocurrents of samples without nanomembrane indicates that silica layers with optimized wires are able to approach undiminished electron flux at typical solar intensities. Combined with the established high proton conductivity and small-molecule blocking property, the charge transfer measurements demonstrate that oxidation and reduction catalysis can be efficiently integrated on the nanoscale under separation by an ultrathin silica membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongna Zhang
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Ian Weiss
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Indranil Rudra
- Shell India Markets Pvt. Ltd., Mahadeva Kodigehalli, Bangalore 562149, India
| | - Won Jun Jo
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Simon Kellner
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Georgios Katsoukis
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Elena Galoppini
- Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Heinz Frei
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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Yu W, Fu HJ, Mueller T, Brunschwig BS, Lewis NS. Atomic force microscopy: Emerging illuminated and operando techniques for solar fuel research. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:020902. [PMID: 32668946 DOI: 10.1063/5.0009858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrated photoelectrochemical devices rely on the synergy between components to efficiently generate sustainable fuels from sunlight. The micro- and/or nanoscale characteristics of the components and their interfaces often control critical processes of the device, such as charge-carrier generation, electron and ion transport, surface potentials, and electrocatalysis. Understanding the spatial properties and structure-property relationships of these components can provide insight into designing scalable and efficient solar fuel components and systems. These processes can be probed ex situ or in situ with nanometer-scale spatial resolution using emerging scanning-probe techniques based on atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this Perspective, we summarize recent developments of AFM-based techniques relevant to solar fuel research. We review recent progress in AFM for (1) steady-state and dynamic light-induced surface photovoltage measurements; (2) nanoelectrical conductive measurements to resolve charge-carrier heterogeneity and junction energetics; (3) operando investigations of morphological changes, as well as surface electrochemical potentials, currents, and photovoltages in liquids. Opportunities for research include: (1) control of ambient conditions for performing AFM measurements; (2) in situ visualization of corrosion and morphological evolution of electrodes; (3) operando AFM techniques to allow nanoscale mapping of local catalytic activities and photo-induced currents and potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilai Yu
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Harold J Fu
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Bruker Nano Surfaces, 112 Robin Hill Road, Santa Barbara, California 93111, USA
| | - Bruce S Brunschwig
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Nathan S Lewis
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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Lian T, Koper MTM, Reuter K, Subotnik JE. Special Topic on Interfacial Electrochemistry and Photo(electro)catalysis. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:041401. [PMID: 30709260 DOI: 10.1063/1.5088351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Interfacial electrochemistry and photo(electro)catalysis are key processes that convert the energy of photons or electrons to chemical bonds in many energy conversion and storage technologies. Achieving a molecular level understanding of the fundamental interfacial structure, energetics, dynamics, and reaction mechanisms that govern these processes represents a broad frontier for chemical physics and physical chemistry. This Special Topic contains a collection of articles that range from the development of new experimental and computational techniques to the novel application of those techniques for mechanistic studies, as the principal investigators seek a fundamental molecular understanding of both electrode/electrolyte interfaces and the relevant electrocatalytic, photocatalytic, and photoelectrochemical reactions taking place thereabout. Altogether, this collection of articles captures the current state of this very active, frontier research field and highlights the current and remaining key scientific challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianquan Lian
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Marc T M Koper
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karsten Reuter
- Chair for Theoretical Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Joseph E Subotnik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Chu S, Rashid RT, Liu X, Mi Z. Photodeposition of a conformal metal oxide nanocoating. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:6305-6308. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cc02753j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A variety of conformal metal oxide nanocoatings including Cr2O3, Al2O3, ZnO, and In2O3 can be accessed via simple photodeposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Chu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University
- Quebec H3A 0E9
- Canada
| | - Roksana Tonny Rashid
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University
- Quebec H3A 0E9
- Canada
| | - Xuedong Liu
- Facility for Electron Microscopy Research, McGill University
- Quebec H3A 0C7
- Canada
| | - Zetian Mi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University
- Quebec H3A 0E9
- Canada
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan
- Ann Arbor
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