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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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Guo T, Fu WT, de Groot HJM. Engineering Ba 2Bi 2O 6 Double Perovskite with La 3+ for High Current Density Visible Light Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2308781. [PMID: 38308349 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
A Lanthanum ion (La3+) incorporation strategy is implemented to modify Ba2Bi2O6-based double perovskite photoelectrodes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization shows that highly crystalline Ba2La0.4Bi1.6O6 double perovskites with the space group I2/m are successfully prepared. UV-vis absorption spectra and the Tauc-plot reveal an optical band gap Eg ≈1.57 ± 0.01 eV. A thickness dependence of the photoelectrodes photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance shows that the submicron (≈1 µm) 4-times spin-coated thin film photoelectrode displays strong p-type conductivity, which delivers an encouraging photocurrent density of 0.88 mA cm-2 at 0.25 VRHE under AM 1.5G illumination. 10-times coated and 20-times coated medium thick (125.8-197 µm) photoelectrodes that exhibit moderate p-type conductivity, show further enhanced photocurrent densities of 1.5 mA cm-2 at 0 VRHE. In contrast, charge recombination centers existing in a standard thick pellet (≈500 µm) Ba2La0.4Bi1.6O6 photoelectrode can quench photo-generated charge carriers and greatly undermine PEC activities. The approach to doping at the Bi(III) sites contrasts with earlier efforts that focus on doping at the Bi(V) sites and thus paves the way for further tailoring a family of novel promising photocathode materials for efficient solar-water conversion devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirong Guo
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden, 2300 RA, Netherlands
| | - Wen Tian Fu
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden, 2300 RA, Netherlands
| | - Huub J M de Groot
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden, 2300 RA, Netherlands
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3
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Liu D, Kuang Y. Particle-Based Photoelectrodes for PEC Water Splitting: Concepts and Perspectives. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2311692. [PMID: 38619834 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
This comprehensive review delves into the intricacies of the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting process, specifically focusing on the design, fabrication, and optimization of particle-based photoelectrodes for efficient green hydrogen production. These photoelectrodes, composed of semiconductor materials, potentially harness light energy and generate charge carriers, driving water oxidation and reduction reactions. The versatility of particle-based photoelectrodes as a platform for investigating and enhancing various semiconductor candidates is explored, particularly the emerging complex oxides with compelling charge transfer properties. However, the challenges presented by many factors influencing the performance and stability of these photoelectrodes, including particle size, shape, composition, morphology, surface modification, and electrode configuration, are highlighted. The review introduces the fundamental principles of semiconductor photoelectrodes for PEC water splitting, presents an exhaustive overview of different synthesis methods for semiconductor powders and their assembly into photoelectrodes, and discusses recent advances and challenges in photoelectrode material development. It concludes by offering promising strategies for improving photoelectrode performance and stability, such as the adoption of novel architectures and heterojunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1219 Zhongguan West Road, Ningbo, 315201, China
| | - Yongbo Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1219 Zhongguan West Road, Ningbo, 315201, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19(A)Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
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Dela Cruz JMCM, Balog Á, Tóth PS, Bencsik G, Samu GF, Janáky C. Au-decorated Sb 2Se 3 photocathodes for solar-driven CO 2 reduction. EES CATALYSIS 2024; 2:664-674. [PMID: 38464594 PMCID: PMC10918757 DOI: 10.1039/d3ey00222e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Photoelectrodes with FTO/Au/Sb2Se3/TiO2/Au architecture were studied in photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (PEC CO2RR). The preparation is based on a simple spin coating technique, where nanorod-like structures were obtained for Sb2Se3, as confirmed by SEM images. A thin conformal layer of TiO2 was coated on the Sb2Se3 nanorods via ALD, which acted as both an electron transfer layer and a protective coating. Au nanoparticles were deposited as co-catalysts via photo-assisted electrodeposition at different applied potentials to control their growth and morphology. The use of such architectures has not been explored in CO2RR yet. The photoelectrochemical performance for CO2RR was investigated with different Au catalyst loadings. A photocurrent density of ∼7.5 mA cm-2 at -0.57 V vs. RHE for syngas generation was achieved, with an average Faradaic efficiency of 25 ± 6% for CO and 63 ± 12% for H2. The presented results point toward the use of Sb2Se3-based photoelectrodes in solar CO2 conversion applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Mark Christian M Dela Cruz
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
| | - Ádám Balog
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
| | - Péter S Tóth
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
| | - Gábor Bencsik
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
| | - Gergely F Samu
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
- ELI ALPS, ELI-HU Non-Profit Ltd. Wolfgang Sandner Street 3 Szeged H-6728 Hungary
| | - Csaba Janáky
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged Aradi Square 1 Szeged H-6720 Hungary
- ELI ALPS, ELI-HU Non-Profit Ltd. Wolfgang Sandner Street 3 Szeged H-6728 Hungary
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Sohail M, Rauf S, Irfan M, Hayat A, Alghamdi MM, El-Zahhar AA, Ghernaout D, Al-Hadeethi Y, Lv W. Recent developments, advances and strategies in heterogeneous photocatalysts for water splitting. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:1286-1330. [PMID: 38419861 PMCID: PMC10898449 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00442b] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) is an up-and-coming technology for generating sustainable fuel using light energy. Significant progress has been made in the developing of PWS innovations over recent years. In addition to various water-splitting (WS) systems, the focus has primarily been on one- and two-steps-excitation WS systems. These systems utilize singular or composite photocatalysts for WS, which is a simple, feasible, and cost-effective method for efficiently converting prevalent green energy into sustainable H2 energy on a large commercial scale. The proposed principle of charge confinement and transformation should be implemented dynamically by conjugating and stimulating the photocatalytic process while ensuring no unintentional connection at the interface. This study focuses on overall water splitting (OWS) using one/two-steps excitation and various techniques. It also discusses the current advancements in the development of new light-absorbing materials and provides perspectives and approaches for isolating photoinduced charges. This article explores multiple aspects of advancement, encompassing both chemical and physical changes, environmental factors, different photocatalyst types, and distinct parameters affecting PWS. Significant factors for achieving an efficient photocatalytic process under detrimental conditions, (e.g., strong light absorption, and synthesis of structures with a nanometer scale. Future research will focus on developing novel materials, investigating potential synthesis techniques, and improving existing high-energy raw materials. The endeavors aim is to enhance the efficiency of energy conversion, the absorption of radiation, and the coherence of physiochemical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sohail
- Huzhou Key Laboratory of Smart and Clean Energy, Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Huzhou 313001 P. R. China
| | - Sana Rauf
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 PR China
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Department of Chemistry, Hazara University Mansehra 21300 Pakistan
| | - Asif Hayat
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University 321004 Jinhua Zhejiang P. R. China
| | - Majed M Alghamdi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University P. O. Box 9004 Abha 61413 Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel A El-Zahhar
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University P. O. Box 9004 Abha 61413 Saudi Arabia
| | - Djamel Ghernaout
- Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha'il PO Box 2440 Ha'il 81441 Saudi Arabia
- Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Blida PO Box 270 Blida 09000 Algeria
| | - Yas Al-Hadeethi
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia
- Lithography in Devices Fabrication and Development Research Group, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia
- King Fahd Medical Research Center (KFMRC), King Abdulaziz University Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia
| | - Weiqiang Lv
- Huzhou Key Laboratory of Smart and Clean Energy, Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Huzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Huzhou 313001 P. R. China
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Li R, Yoc-Bautista MG, Weng S, Cai Z, Zhao B, Cronin SB. Voltage-Induced Inversion of Band Bending and Photovoltages at Semiconductor/Liquid Interfaces. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:9355-9361. [PMID: 38319802 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
At semiconductor/liquid interfaces, the surface potential and photovoltages are produced by a combination of band bending and quasi-Fermi-level splitting at the semiconductor surface, which are usually treated in a qualitative fashion. As such, it is important to develop quantitative metrics for the band energies and photovoltaics at these interfaces. Here, we present a spectroscopic method for monitoring the photovoltages produced at semiconductor/liquid junctions. The surface reporter molecule mercaptobenzonitrile (MBN) is functionalized on the photoelectrode surface (p-type silicon) and is measured using in situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy with a water immersion lens under electrochemical working conditions. In particular, the vibrational frequency of the C≡N stretch mode (ωCN) around 2225 cm-1 is sensitive to the local electric field in solution at the electrode/electrolyte interface via the vibrational Stark effect. Over the applied potential range from -0.8 to 0.6 V vs Ag/AgCl, we observe ωCN to increase from 2220 to 2229 cm-1 (at low laser power). As the incident laser power is increased from 83.5 μW to 13.3 mW, we observe additional shifts of ΔωCN = ±1 cm-1, corresponding to photovoltages produced at the semiconductor/liquid interface ΔV = ±0.2 V. Based on Mott-Schottky measurements, the flat band potential (FBP) occurs at -0.39 V vs Ag/AgCl. For applied potentials above the FBP, we observe ΔωCN > 0 (i.e., blue-shifts ∼1 cm-1) corresponding to positive photovoltages, whereas for applied potentials below the flat band potential, we observe ΔωCN < 0 (i.e., red-shifts ∼1 cm-1) corresponding to negative photovoltages. These spectroscopic observations reveal voltage-induced changes in the band bending at the semiconductor/liquid junction that, thus far, have been difficult to measure.
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Han Q, Tao F, Yang P. Amyloid-Like Assembly to Form Film at Interfaces: Structural Transformation and Application. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2300172. [PMID: 37257459 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based biomaterials are attracting broad interest for their remarkable structural and functional properties. Disturbing the native protein's three-dimensional structural stability in vitro and controlling subsequent aggregation is an effective strategy to design and construct protein-based biomaterials. One of the recent developments in regulating protein structural transformation to ordered aggregation is amyloid assembly, which generates fibril-based 1D to 3D nanostructures as functional materials. Especially, the amyloid-like assembly to form films at interfaces has been reported, which is induced by the effective reduction of the intramolecular disulfide bond. The main contribution of this amyloid-like assembly is the large-scale formation of protein films at interfaces and excellent adhesion to target substrates. This review presents the research progress of the amyloid-like assembly to form films and related applications and thereby provides a guide to exploiting protein-based biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Han
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Fei Tao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
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Xu X, Lu C, Wang Y, Bai X, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Hua D. Two dimensional NbSe 2/Nb 2O 5 metal-semiconductor heterostructure-based photoelectrochemical photodetector with fast response and high flexibility. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2023. [PMID: 37326422 DOI: 10.1039/d3nh00172e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Two dimensional (2D) metal-semiconductor heterostructures are promising for high-performance optoelectronic devices due to fast carrier separation and transportation. Considering the superior metallic characteristics accompanied by high electrical conductivity in NbSe2, surface oxidation provides a facile way to form NbSe2/Nb2O5 metal-semiconductor heterostructures. Herein, size-dependent NbSe2/Nb2O5 nanosheets were achieved by a liquid phase exfoliation method and a gradient centrifugation strategy. These NbSe2/Nb2O5 heterostructure-based photodetectors show high responsivity with 23.21 μA W-1, fast response time of millisecond magnitude, and wide band detection ability in the UV-Vis region. It is noticeable that the photocurrent density is sensitive to the surface oxygen layer due to the oxygen-sensitized photoconduction mechanism. The flexible testing of the NbSe2/Nb2O5 heterostructure-based PEC-type photodetectors exhibits high photodetection performance even after bending and twisting. Beyond that, the solid-state PEC-type NbSe2/Nb2O5 photodetector also achieves relatively stable photodetection and high stability. This work promotes the application of 2D NbSe2/Nb2O5 metal-semiconductor heterostructures in flexible optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Xu
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Chunhui Lu
- Institute of Photonics & Photon-Technology, School of Physics, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Xing Bai
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Zenghui Liu
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Dengxin Hua
- School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
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Adams P, Creazzo F, Moehl T, Crockett R, Zeng P, Novotny Z, Luber S, Yang W, Tilley SD. Solution phase treatments of Sb 2Se 3 heterojunction photocathodes for improved water splitting performance. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. A 2023; 11:8277-8284. [PMID: 37066134 PMCID: PMC10088359 DOI: 10.1039/d3ta00554b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is an auspicious material for solar energy conversion that has seen rapid improvement over the past ten years, but the photovoltage deficit remains a challenge. Here, simple and low-temperature treatments of the p-n heterojunction interface of Sb2Se3/TiO2-based photocathodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting were explored to address this challenge. The FTO/Ti/Au/Sb2Se3 (substrate configuration) stack was treated with (NH4)2S as an etching solution, followed by CuCl2 treatment prior to deposition of the TiO2 by atomic layer deposition. The different treatments show different mechanisms of action compared to similar reported treatments of the back Au/Sb2Se3 interface in superstrate configuration solar cells. These treatments collectively increased the onset potential from 0.14 V to 0.28 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and the photocurrent from 13 mA cm-2 to 18 mA cm-2 at 0 V vs. RHE as compared to the untreated Sb2Se3 films. From SEM and XPS studies, it is clear that the etching treatment induces a morphological change and removes the surface Sb2O3 layer, which eliminates the Fermi-level pinning that the oxide layer generates. CuCl2 further enhances the performance due to the passivation of the surface defects, as supported by density functional theory molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) calculations, improving charge separation at the interface. The simple and low-cost semiconductor synthesis method combined with these facile, low-temperature treatments further increases the practical potential of Sb2Se3 for large-scale water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pardis Adams
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Fabrizio Creazzo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Thomas Moehl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | | | - Peng Zeng
- Scientific Centre for Optical and Electron Microscopy (ScopeM), ETH Zurich Switzerland
| | - Zbynek Novotny
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute Villigen-PSI Switzerland
- Laboratory for Joining Technologies and Corrosion, EMPA Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Sandra Luber
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Wooseok Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) Suwon South Korea
- SKKU Institute of Energy Science and Technology (SIEST), Sungkyunkwan University Suwon 16419 Republic of Korea
| | - S David Tilley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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Kim H, Choe A, Ha SB, Narejo GM, Koo SW, Han JS, Chung W, Kim JY, Yang J, In SI. Quantum Dots, Passivation Layer and Cocatalysts for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production. CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202201925. [PMID: 36382625 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202201925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production is one potential pathway to establish a carbon-neutral society. Nowadays, quantum dots (QDs)-sensitized semiconductors have emerged as promising materials for PEC hydrogen production due to their tunable bandgap by size or morphology control, displaying excellent optical and electrical properties. Nevertheless, they still suffer from anodic corrosion during long-term cycling, offering poor stability. This Review discussed advancements to improve long-term stability of QDs particularly in terms of cocatalysts and passivation layers. The working principle of PEC cells was reviewed, along with all important configurations adopted over recent years. The equations to assess PEC performance were also described. A greater emphasized was placed on QDs and incorporation of cocatalysts or passivation layers that could enhance the PEC performance by influencing the charge transfer and surface recombination processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwapyong Kim
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Ayeong Choe
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Seung Beom Ha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University (DKU), Yongin-si, 16890, Republic of Korea
| | - Ghulam Mustafa Narejo
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Sung Wook Koo
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Ji Su Han
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Wookjin Chung
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Jae-Yup Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University (DKU), Yongin-si, 16890, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwoong Yang
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Su-Il In
- Department of Energy Science & Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, 42988 (Republic of, Korea
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Review on Metal Chalcogenides and Metal Chalcogenide-Based Nanocomposites in Photocatalytic Applications. CHEMISTRY AFRICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s42250-022-00577-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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12
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Nandjou F, Haussener S. Modeling the Photostability of Solar Water-Splitting Devices and Stabilization Strategies. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:43095-43108. [PMID: 36122305 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c08204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The practical implementation of photoelectrochemical devices for hydrogen generation is limited by their short lifetimes. Understanding the factors affecting the stability of the heterogeneous photoelectrodes is required to formulate degradation mitigation strategies. We developed a multiscale and multiphysics model to investigate and quantify the photostability of photoelectrodes. The model considers the photophysical processes in an electrocatalyst-coated semiconductor immersed in electrolyte, and the kinetics of the competing water-splitting and photocorrosion reactions. When applied to 12 promising compound semiconductors for use as photoanodes (GaAs, GaP, InP, GaN, SiC, AlP, AlAs, CdTe, CdS, CdSe, ZnS, and ZnSe), the semiconductor-electrocatalyst interfacial charge transfer rate constant was found to be the most significant parameter for stabilizing the photoelectrodes. Its increase induced a sigmoid-like increase in photostability, and its optimization made it possible to stabilize nine semiconductors. The semiconductor surface back-bond energy also increased the photostability in a sigmoid-like response, and its optimization allowed to stabilize five semiconductors. The increase of irradiance induced a logarithmic drop in photostability, and limiting it to 100 W/m2 could stabilize three semiconductors. We further observed that the photostability in a device of centimeter-scale can vary by more than 50%, showing stable zones and photocorrosion hotspots. The photoelectrode's length as well as the electrocatalyst and electrolyte conductivities were found to be relevant parameters to impact this heterogeneity in the photostability. Thus, the photostability is not only defined by material properties but also by the specific combination of materials and by the device architecture. The model presented in this study can also be applied to photocathodes and other PEC designs, and can serve as a design tool for understanding, quantifying, and improving the stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredy Nandjou
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Sophia Haussener
- Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, EPFL, Station 9, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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13
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Kaur D, Physics R, Vashishtha P, Gupta G, Sarkar S, Kumar M. Surface Nanopatterning of Amorphous Gallium Oxide Thin Film for Enhanced Solar-blind Photodetection. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:375302. [PMID: 35675743 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac76d3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Gallium oxide is an ultra-wide band gap semiconductor (Eg > 4.4 eV), best suited intrinsically for the fabrication of solar-blind photodetectors. Apart from its crystalline phases, amorphous Ga2O3 based solar-blind photodetector offer simple and facile growth without the hassle of lattice matching and high temperatures for growth and annealing. However, they often suffer from long response times which hinders any practical use. Herein, we report a simple and cost-effective method to enhance the device performance of amorphous gallium oxide thin film photodetector by nanopatterning the surface using a broad and low energy Ar+ ion beam. The ripples formed on the surface of gallium oxide thin film lead to the formation of anisotropic conduction channels along with an increase in the surface defects. The defects introduced in the system act as recombination centers for the charge carriers bringing about a reduction in the decay time of the devices, even at zero-bias. The fall time of the rippled devices, therefore, reduces, making the devices faster by more than 15 times. This approach of surface modification of gallium oxide provides a one-step, low cost method to enhance the device performance of amorphous thin films which can help in the realization of next-generation optoelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damanpreet Kaur
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, 206, Academic Block, Rupnagar, 140001, INDIA
| | - Rakhi Physics
- Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, SMAL Lab, IIT Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab, 140001, INDIA
| | - Pargam Vashishtha
- CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K.S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi, 110012, INDIA
| | - Govind Gupta
- CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, NPL, New Delhi, 110012, INDIA
| | - Subhendu Sarkar
- Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar, Rupnagar, 140001, INDIA
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, 206, Academic Block, Rupnagar, 140001, INDIA
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Rodríguez-Gutiérrez I, Bedin KC, Mouriño B, Souza Junior JB, Souza FL. Advances in Engineered Metal Oxide Thin Films by Low-Cost, Solution-Based Techniques for Green Hydrogen Production. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:1957. [PMID: 35745297 PMCID: PMC9229379 DOI: 10.3390/nano12121957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Functional oxide materials have become crucial in the continuous development of various fields, including those for energy applications. In this aspect, the synthesis of nanomaterials for low-cost green hydrogen production represents a huge challenge that needs to be overcome to move toward the next generation of efficient systems and devices. This perspective presents a critical assessment of hydrothermal and polymeric precursor methods as potential approaches to designing photoelectrodes for future industrial implementation. The main conditions that can affect the photoanode's physical and chemical characteristics, such as morphology, particle size, defects chemistry, dimensionality, and crystal orientation, and how they influence the photoelectrochemical performance are highlighted in this report. Strategies to tune and engineer photoelectrode and an outlook for developing efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion using an inexpensive and stable material will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Rodríguez-Gutiérrez
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André 09210-580, SP, Brazil
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - Karen Cristina Bedin
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - Beatriz Mouriño
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
| | - João Batista Souza Junior
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil
| | - Flavio Leandro Souza
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André 09210-580, SP, Brazil
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil; (K.C.B.); (B.M.); (J.B.S.J.)
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil
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Zhou C, Zhang L, Tong X, Liu M. Temperature Effect on Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: A Model Study Based on BiVO 4 Photoanodes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:61227-61236. [PMID: 34914379 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c19623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is typically studied at room temperature. In this work, the temperature effect on PEC water splitting is studied using crystalline BiVO4 thin film photoanode as a model system. Systematic temperature-dependent electrochemical study demonstrates that the PEC activity is boosted at elevated electrolyte temperatures and indicates that thermal energy plays a main role in improving charge carrier transport in the bulk of BiVO4. Irreversible surface reconstruction is observed after PEC reactions at elevated temperature in the presence of hole scavengers, with regularly spaced stripes emerging on BiVO4 grains. The surface-reconstructed photoanode exhibits up to 40% improvement in photocurrent densities and ∼ 0.25 V shift of photocurrent onset to favorable direction. Detailed investigation shows the formation of an amorphous layer without stoichiometric change at the reconstructed surface. This work provides insights of the temperature effect on the photoelectrode in solar water splitting and reveals the non-negligible effect of hole scavengers in photoelectrochemical measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Zhou
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Xiao Tong
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Mingzhao Liu
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
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Wang R, Kuwahara Y, Mori K, Yamashita H. Semiconductor‐based Photoanodes Modified with Metal‐Organic Frameworks and Molecular Catalysts as Cocatalysts for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Reaction. ChemCatChem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202101033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruiling Wang
- Division of Material and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Yasutaka Kuwahara
- Division of Material and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Innovative Catalysis Science Division Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI) Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts & Batteries (ESICB) Kyoto University Katsura Kyoto 615-8520 Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) PRESTO 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi Saitama 332-0012 Japan
| | - Kohsuke Mori
- Division of Material and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Innovative Catalysis Science Division Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI) Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts & Batteries (ESICB) Kyoto University Katsura Kyoto 615-8520 Japan
| | - Hiromi Yamashita
- Division of Material and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Innovative Catalysis Science Division Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI) Osaka University 2-1 Yamadaoka Suita Osaka 565-0871 Japan
- Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts & Batteries (ESICB) Kyoto University Katsura Kyoto 615-8520 Japan
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Majumder S, Quang ND, Hung NM, Chinh ND, Kim C, Kim D. Deposition of zinc cobaltite nanoparticles onto bismuth vanadate for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 599:453-466. [PMID: 33962206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.04.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
During the past few decades, photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has attracted significant attention because of the reduced production cost of hydrogen obtained by utilizing solar energy. Significant efforts have been invested by the scientific community to produce stable ternary metal oxide semiconductors, which can enhance the stability and increase the overall production of oxygen. Herein, we present the ternary metal oxide deposition of ZnCo2O4 as a route to obtain a novel photocatalyst layer on BiVO4 to form BiVO4/ZnCo2O4 a novel composite photoanode for PEC water splitting. The structural, topographical, and optical analyses were performed using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy to confirm the structure of the ZnCo2O4 grafted over BiVO4. A remarkable 4.4-fold enhancement of the photocurrent was observed for the BiVO4/ZnCo2O4 composite compared with bare BiVO4 under visible illumination. The optimum loading of ZnCo2O4 over BiVO4 yields unprecedented stable photocurrent density with an apparent cathodic shift of 0.46 V under 1.5 AM simulated light illumination. This is also evidenced by the flat-band potential change through Mott-Schottky analysis, which reveals the formation of p-ZnCo2O4 on n-BiVO4. The improvement in the PEC performance of the composite with respect to bare BiVO4 is ascribed to the formation of thin passivating layer of p-ZnCo2O4 on n-BiVO4 which improves the kinetics of interfacial charge transfer. Based on our study, we have gained an in-depth understanding of the BiVO4/ZnCo2O4 composite as high potential in efficient PEC water splitting devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutripto Majumder
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nguyen Duc Quang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Nguyen Manh Hung
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Le Quy Don Technical University, Hanoi, 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Duc Chinh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Chunjoong Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dojin Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Fertig AA, Rabbani SMG, Koch MD, Brennessel WW, Miró P, Matson EM. Physicochemical implications of surface alkylation of high-valent, Lindqvist-type polyoxovanadate-alkoxide clusters. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:6162-6173. [PMID: 33734254 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr09201k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We report a rare example of the direct alkylation of the surface of a plenary polyoxometalate cluster by leveraging the increased nucleophilicity of vanadium oxide assemblies. Addition of methyl trifluoromethylsulfonate (MeOTf) to the parent polyoxovanadate cluster, [V6O13(TRIOLR)2]2- (TRIOL = tris(hydroxymethyl)methane; R = Me, NO2) results in functionalisation of one or two bridging oxide ligands of the cluster core to generate [V6O12(OMe)(TRIOLR)2]1- and [V6O11(OMe)2(TRIOLR)2]2-, respectively. Comparison of the electronic absorption spectra of the functionalised and unfunctionalised derivatives indicates the decreased overall charge of the complex results in a decrease in the energy required for ligand to metal charge transfer events to occur, while simultaneously mitigating the inductive effects imposed by the capping TRIOL ligand. Electrochemical analysis of the family of organofunctionalised polyoxovanadate clusters reveals the relationship of ligand environment and the redox properties of the cluster core: increased organofunctionalisation of the surface of the vanadium oxide assembly translates to anodic shifts in the reduction events of the Lindqvist ion. Overall, this work provides insight into the electronic effects induced upon atomically precise modifications to the surface structure of nanoscopic, redox-active metal oxide assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex A Fertig
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
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19
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A CeO2 Semiconductor as a Photocatalytic and Photoelectrocatalytic Material for the Remediation of Pollutants in Industrial Wastewater: A Review. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10121435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The direct discharge of industrial wastewater into the environment results in serious contamination. Photocatalytic treatment with the application of sunlight and its enhancement by coupling with electrocatalytic degradation offers an inexpensive and green technology enabling the total removal of refractory pollutants such as surfactants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, textile dyes, and heavy metals, from industrial wastewater. Among metal oxide—semiconductors, cerium dioxide (CeO2) is one of the photocatalysts most commonly applied in pollutant degradation. CeO2 exhibits promising photocatalytic activity. Nonetheless, the position of conduction bands (CB) and valence bands (VB) in CeO2 limits its application as an efficient photocatalyst utilizing solar energy. Its photocatalytic activity in wastewater treatment can be improved by various modification techniques, including changes in morphology, doping with metal cation dopants and non-metal dopants, coupling with other semiconductors, and combining it with carbon supporting materials. This paper presents a general overview of CeO2 application as a single or composite photocatalyst in the treatment of various pollutants. The photocatalytic characteristics of CeO2 and its composites are described. The main photocatalytic reactions with the participation of CeO2 under UV and VIS irradiation are presented. This review summarizes the existing knowledge, with a particular focus on the main experimental conditions employed in the photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of various pollutants with the application of CeO2 as a single and composite photocatalyst.
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20
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Beiler AM, McCarthy BD, Johnson BA, Ott S. Enhancing photovoltages at p-type semiconductors through a redox-active metal-organic framework surface coating. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5819. [PMID: 33199706 PMCID: PMC7669860 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19483-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Surface modification of semiconductors can improve photoelectrochemical performance by promoting efficient interfacial charge transfer. We show that metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are viable surface coatings for enhancing cathodic photovoltages. Under 1-sun illumination, no photovoltage is observed for p-type Si(111) functionalized with a naphthalene diimide derivative until the monolayer is expanded in three dimensions in a MOF. The surface-grown MOF thin film at Si promotes reduction of the molecular linkers at formal potentials >300 mV positive of their thermodynamic potentials. The photocurrent is governed by charge diffusion through the film, and the MOF film is sufficiently conductive to power reductive transformations. When grown on GaP(100), the reductions of the MOF linkers are shifted anodically by >700 mV compared to those of the same MOF on conductive substrates. This photovoltage, among the highest reported for GaP in photoelectrochemical applications, illustrates the power of MOF films to enhance photocathodic operation. Photoelectrochemical performance is often hindered by sluggish charge transfer at the semiconductor interface. Here, the authors illustrate that a thin film coating made of a conductive metal-organic framework can improve the photovoltage of the underpinning semiconductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Beiler
- Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Brian D McCarthy
- Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ben A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sascha Ott
- Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 523, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden.
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21
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Ke J, He F, Wu H, Lyu S, Liu J, Yang B, Li Z, Zhang Q, Chen J, Lei L, Hou Y, Ostrikov K. Nanocarbon-Enhanced 2D Photoelectrodes: A New Paradigm in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2020; 13:24. [PMID: 34138209 PMCID: PMC8187525 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-020-00545-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting systems are highly promising for converting solar energy into clean and sustainable chemical energy. In such PEC systems, an integrated photoelectrode incorporates a light harvester for absorbing solar energy, an interlayer for transporting photogenerated charge carriers, and a co-catalyst for triggering redox reactions. Thus, understanding the correlations between the intrinsic structural properties and functions of the photoelectrodes is crucial. Here we critically examine various 2D layered photoanodes/photocathodes, including graphitic carbon nitrides, transition metal dichalcogenides, layered double hydroxides, layered bismuth oxyhalide nanosheets, and MXenes, combined with advanced nanocarbons (carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphdiyne) as co-catalysts to assemble integrated photoelectrodes for oxygen evolution/hydrogen evolution reactions. The fundamental principles of PEC water splitting and physicochemical properties of photoelectrodes and the associated catalytic reactions are analyzed. Elaborate strategies for the assembly of 2D photoelectrodes with nanocarbons to enhance the PEC performances are introduced. The mechanisms of interplay of 2D photoelectrodes and nanocarbon co-catalysts are further discussed. The challenges and opportunities in the field are identified to guide future research for maximizing the conversion efficiency of PEC water splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ke
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 Guanggu 1st Road, Wuhan, 430205, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan He
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 Guanggu 1st Road, Wuhan, 430205, People's Republic of China
| | - Siliu Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, 619 Yonghua N St, Baoding, 071003, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongjian Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control Technology, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
| | - Lecheng Lei
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Zhejiang University - Quzhou, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Hou
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Zhejiang University - Quzhou, Quzhou, 324000, People's Republic of China.
- Ningbo Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 315100, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kostya Ostrikov
- School of Chemistry and Physics and Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
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Xu Y, Ahmed R, Zheng J, Hoglund ER, Lin Q, Berretti E, Lavacchi A, Zangari G. Photoelectrochemistry of Self-Limiting Electrodeposition of Ni Film onto GaAs. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2003112. [PMID: 32885599 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202003112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gallium arsenide (GaAs) provides a suitable bandgap (1.43 eV) for solar spectrum absorption and allows a larger photovoltage compared to silicon, suggesting great potential as a photoanode toward water splitting. Photocorrosion under water oxidation condition, however, leads to decomposition or the formation of an insulating oxide layer, which limits the photoelectrochemical performance and stability of GaAs. In this work, a self-limiting electrodeposition method of Ni on GaAs is reported to either generate ultra-thin continuous film or nanoislands with high particle density by controlling deposition time. The self-limiting growth mechanism is validated by potential transients, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy composition and depth profile measurements. This deposition method exhibits a rapid nucleation, forms an initial metallic layer followed by a hydroxide/oxyhydroxide nanofilm on the GaAs surface and is independent of layer thickness versus deposition time when coalescence is reached. A photocurrent up to 8.9 mA cm-2 with a photovoltage of 0.11 V is obtained for continuous ultrathin films, while a photocurrent density of 9.2 mA cm-2 with a photovoltage of 0.50 V is reached for the discontinuous nanoislands layers in an aqueous solution containing the reversible redox couple K3 Fe(CN)6 /K4 Fe(CN)6 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Xu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Rasin Ahmed
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Jiyuan Zheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Eric R Hoglund
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Qiyuan Lin
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Enrico Berretti
- CNR-ICCOM, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, 50019, Italy
| | - Alessandro Lavacchi
- CNR-ICCOM, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, 50019, Italy
| | - Giovanni Zangari
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
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23
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Malara F, Fracchia M, Kmentová H, Psaro R, Vertova A, Oliveira de Souza D, Aquilanti G, Olivi L, Ghigna P, Minguzzi A, Naldoni A. Direct Observation of Photoinduced Higher Oxidation States at a Semiconductor/Electrocatalyst Junction. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c02789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Malara
- CNR-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Fracchia
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, V.le Taramelli 13, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Hana Kmentová
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Rinaldo Psaro
- CNR-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Vertova
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Giuliana Aquilanti
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14 - km 163.5, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Olivi
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale 14 - km 163.5, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Ghigna
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, V.le Taramelli 13, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
- INSTM, Via G. Giusti 9, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
| | - Alessandro Minguzzi
- INSTM, Via G. Giusti 9, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alberto Naldoni
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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24
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Semiconductor Electrode Materials Applied in Photoelectrocatalytic Wastewater Treatment—an Overview. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10040439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Industrial sources of environmental pollution generate huge amounts of industrial wastewater containing various recalcitrant organic and inorganic pollutants that are hazardous to the environment. On the other hand, industrial wastewater can be regarded as a prospective source of fresh water, energy, and valuable raw materials. Conventional sewage treatment systems are often not efficient enough for the complete degradation of pollutants and they are characterized by high energy consumption. Moreover, the chemical energy that is stored in the wastewater is wasted. A solution to these problems is an application of photoelectrocatalytic treatment methods, especially when they are coupled with energy generation. The paper presents a general overview of the semiconductor materials applied as photoelectrodes in the treatment of various pollutants. The fundamentals of photoelectrocatalytic reactions and the mechanism of pollutants treatment as well as parameters affecting the treatment process are presented. Examples of different semiconductor photoelectrodes that are applied in treatment processes are described in order to present the strengths and weaknesses of the photoelectrocatalytic treatment of industrial wastewater. This overview is an addition to the existing knowledge with a particular focus on the main experimental conditions employed in the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of various pollutants with the application of semiconductor photoelectrodes.
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25
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Zhang K, Liu J, Wang L, Jin B, Yang X, Zhang S, Park JH. Near-Complete Suppression of Oxygen Evolution for Photoelectrochemical H 2O Oxidative H 2O 2 Synthesis. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:8641-8648. [PMID: 32160742 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b13410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Solar energy-assisted water oxidative hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production on an anode combined with H2 production on a cathode increases the value of solar water splitting, but the challenge of the dominant oxidative product, O2, needs to be overcome. Here, we report a SnO2-x overlayer coated BiVO4 photoanode, which demonstrates the great ability to near-completely suppress O2 evolution for photoelectrochemical (PEC) H2O oxidative H2O2 evolution. Based on the surface hole accumulation measured by surface photovoltage, downward quasi-hole Fermi energy at the photoanode/electrolyte interface and thermodynamic Gibbs free energy between 2-electron and 4-electron competitive reactions, we are able to consider the photoinduced holes of BiVO4 that migrate to the SnO2-x overlayer kinetically favor H2O2 evolution with great selectivity by reduced band bending. The formation of H2O2 may be mediated by the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH·), from 1-electron water oxidation reactions, as evidenced by spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies conducted herein. In addition to the H2O oxidative H2O2 evolution from PEC water splitting, the SnO2-x/BiVO4 photoanode can also inhibit H2O2 decomposition into O2 under either electrocatalysis or photocatalysis conditions for continuous H2O2 accumulation. Overall, the SnO2-x/BiVO4 photoanode achieves a Faraday efficiency (FE) of over 86% for H2O2 generation in a wide potential region (0.6-2.1 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and an H2O2 evolution rate averaging 0.825 μmol/min/cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE under AM 1.5 illumination, corresponding to a solar to H2O2 efficiency of ∼5.6%; this performance surpasses almost all previous solar energy-assisted H2O2 evolution performances. Because of the simultaneous production of H2O2 and H2 by solar water splitting in the PEC cells, our results highlight a potentially greener and more cost-effective approach for "solar-to-fuel" conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kan Zhang
- Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, MIIT Key Laboratory of Advanced Display Material and Devices, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Jiali Liu
- Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, MIIT Key Laboratory of Advanced Display Material and Devices, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Luyang Wang
- College of New Materials and New Energies, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518118, P. R. China
| | - Bingjun Jin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiaofei Yang
- College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Shengli Zhang
- Institute of Optoelectronics & Nanomaterials, MIIT Key Laboratory of Advanced Display Material and Devices, College of Materials Science and Engineering, 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
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26
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Sekizawa K, Oh-ishi K, Morikawa T. Photoelectrochemical water-splitting over a surface modified p-type Cr2O3 photocathode. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:659-666. [DOI: 10.1039/c9dt04296b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
H2 generation via solar photoelectrochemical water-splitting by Cr2O3 was successfully realized by surface modification with TiO2 and the following Pt deposition.
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27
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Monllor-Satoca D, Díez-García MI, Lana-Villarreal T, Gómez R. Photoelectrocatalytic production of solar fuels with semiconductor oxides: materials, activity and modeling. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:12272-12289. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cc04387g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transition metal oxides keep on being excellent candidates as electrode materials for the photoelectrochemical conversion of solar energy into chemical energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Monllor-Satoca
- Departament de Química Física i Institut Universitari d'Electroquímica
- Universitat d'Alacant
- Alicante
- Spain
| | - María Isabel Díez-García
- Departament de Química Física i Institut Universitari d'Electroquímica
- Universitat d'Alacant
- Alicante
- Spain
| | - Teresa Lana-Villarreal
- Departament de Química Física i Institut Universitari d'Electroquímica
- Universitat d'Alacant
- Alicante
- Spain
| | - Roberto Gómez
- Departament de Química Física i Institut Universitari d'Electroquímica
- Universitat d'Alacant
- Alicante
- Spain
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28
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Seddon SD, Benjamin C, Bryant JI, Burrows CW, Walker M, Matheson G, Herranz J, Geelhaar L, Bell GR. Work function of GaAs(hkl) and its modification using PEI: mechanisms and substrate dependence. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:24666-24673. [PMID: 31674623 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp04490f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Spin-coating of poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) has been used to reduce the work function of GaAs (001), (110), (111)A and (111)B. The magnitude of the reduction immediately after coating varies significantly from 0.51 eV to 0.69 eV and depends on the surface crystal face, on the GaAs bulk doping and on the atomic termination of the GaAs. For all samples, the work function reduction shrinks in ambient air over the first 20 hours after spin coating, but reductions around 0.2-0.3 eV persist after 1 year of storage in air. Core-level photoemission of thin film PEI degradation in air is consistent with a two-stage reaction with CO2 and H2O previously proposed in carbon capture studies. The total surface dipole from PEI coating is consistent with a combination of internal neutral amine dipole and an interface dipole whose magnitude depends on the surface termination. The contact potential difference measured by Kelvin probe force microscopy on a cleaved GaAs heterostructure is smaller on p-doped regions. This can be explained by surface doping due to the PEI, which increases the band bending on p-doped GaAs where Fermi level pinning is weak. Both surface doping and surface dipole should be accounted for when considering the effect of PEI coated on a semiconductor surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D Seddon
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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29
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Beranek R. Selectivity of Chemical Conversions: Do Light‐Driven Photoelectrocatalytic Processes Hold Special Promise? Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201908654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radim Beranek
- Institute of ElectrochemistryUlm University Albert-Einstein-Allee 47 89081 Ulm Germany
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30
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Beranek R. Selectivity of Chemical Conversions: Do Light‐Driven Photoelectrocatalytic Processes Hold Special Promise? Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:16724-16729. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201908654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radim Beranek
- Institute of ElectrochemistryUlm University Albert-Einstein-Allee 47 89081 Ulm Germany
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31
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Iyer A, Kearney K, Ertekin E. Computational Approaches to Photoelectrode Design through Molecular Functionalization for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. CHEMSUSCHEM 2019; 12:1858-1871. [PMID: 30693653 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201802514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical water splitting is a promising carbon-free approach to produce hydrogen from water. A photoelectrochemical cell consists of a semiconductor photoelectrode in contact with an aqueous electrolyte. Its performance is sensitive to properties of the photoelectrode/electrolyte interface, which may be tuned through functionalization of the photoelectrode surface with organic molecules. This can lead to improvements in the photoelectrode's properties. This Minireview summarizes key computational investigations on using molecular functionalization to modify photoelectrode stability, barrier height, and catalytic activity. It is discussed how first-principles density functional theory, first-principles molecular dynamics, and device modeling simulations can provide predictive insights and complement experimental investigations of functionalized photoelectrodes. Challenges and future directions in the computational modeling of functionalized photoelectrode/electrolyte interfaces within the context of experimental studies are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwathi Iyer
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 W Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- International Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Kara Kearney
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 W Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- International Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Elif Ertekin
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 W Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- International Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
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32
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Fan R, Mi Z, Shen M. Silicon based photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:A51-A80. [PMID: 30876004 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.000a51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Solar water splitting using Si photoelectrodes in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells offers a promising approach to convert sunlight into sustainable hydrogen energy, which has recently received intense research. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of efficient and stable Si photoelectrodes for solar water splitting. The definition and representation of efficiency and stability for Si photoelectrodes are firstly introduced. We then present several basic strategies for designing highly efficient and stable Si photoelectrodes, including surface textures, protective layer, catalyst loading and the integration of the system. Finally, we highlight the progress that has been made in Si photocathodes and Si photoanodes, respectively, with emphasis on how to integrate Si with protective layer and catalyst.
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33
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Kaneko H, Minegishi T, Kobayashi H, Kuang Y, Domen K. Suppression of poisoning of photocathode catalysts in photoelectrochemical cells for highly stable sunlight-driven overall water splitting. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:041713. [PMID: 30709278 DOI: 10.1063/1.5052590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell composed of two semiconductor electrodes, a photocathode, and a photoanode is a potentially effective means of obtaining hydrogen through spontaneous overall water splitting under light irradiation. However, the long-term stability (that is, operation for more than one day) of a PEC cell has not yet been demonstrated. In addition to the corrosion of both photoelectrodes, the gradual migration of heavy metal cations from the photoanode into the electrolyte can also result in degradation of the cell by contamination of the photocathode surface. In the present work, BiVO4-based photoanodes were used in conjunction with two different modifications: dispersion of a chelating resin in the electrolyte and coating of the photoanode surface with an anion-conducting ionomer. The chelating resin was found to capture Bi3+ cations in the electrolyte before they became deposited on the cathode surface. Consequently, a PEC cell incorporating a BiVO4-based photoanode and a (ZnSe)0.85(CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2)0.15-based photocathode showed stable overall water splitting over a span of two days under simulated sunlight. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the longest period over which stable PEC cell performance has been established. A considerable decrease in the performance of the BiVO4-based photoanode was still observed due to the continuous dissolution of Bi species, but surface coating of the photoanode with an anion-conducting ionomer prevented the movement of Bi3+ ions into the electrolyte because of the selective conduction of ions. The coating also served as a protective layer that improved the durability of the photoanode. This study therefore suggests a simple yet effective method for the construction of stable PEC cells using semiconductor photoelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Kaneko
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Minegishi
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kobayashi
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yongbo Kuang
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kazunari Domen
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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34
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Yao B, Zhang J, Fan X, He J, Li Y. Surface Engineering of Nanomaterials for Photo-Electrochemical Water Splitting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1803746. [PMID: 30411486 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201803746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Photo-electrochemical water splitting represents a green and environmentally friendly method for producing solar hydrogen. Semiconductor nanomaterials with a highly accessible surface area, reduced charge migration distance, and tunable optical and electronic property are regarded as promising electrode materials to carry out this solar-to-hydrogen process. Since most of the photo-electrochemical reactions take place on the electrode surface or near-surface region, rational engineering of the surface structures, physical properties, and chemical nature of photoelectrode materials could fundamentally change their performance. Here, the recent advances in surface engineering methods, including the modification of the nanomaterial surface morphology, crystal facet, defect and doping concentrations, as well as the deposition of a functional overlayer of sensitizers, plasmonic metallic structures, and protective and catalytic materials are highlighted. Each surface engineering method and how it affects the structural features and photo-electrochemical performance of nanomaterials are reviewed and compared. Finally, the current challenges and the opportunities in the field are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Xiaoli Fan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- College of Materials Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, P. R. China
| | - Jianping He
- College of Materials Science and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, P. R. China
| | - Yat Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
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35
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Yu X, Guijarro N, Johnson M, Sivula K. Defect Mitigation of Solution-Processed 2D WSe 2 Nanoflakes for Solar-to-Hydrogen Conversion. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:215-222. [PMID: 29244516 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b03948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Few-atomic-layer nanoflakes of liquid-phase exfoliated semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) hold promise for large-area, high-performance, low-cost solar energy conversion, but their performance is limited by recombination at defect sites. Herein, we examine the role of defects on the performance of WSe2 thin film photocathodes for solar H2 production by applying two separate treatments, a pre-exfoliation annealing and a post-deposition surfactant attachment, designed to target intraflake and edge defects, respectively. Analysis by TEM, XRD, XPS, photoluminescence, and impedance spectroscopy are used to characterize the effects of the treatments and photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements using an optimized Pt-Cu cocatalyst (found to offer improved robustness compared to Pt) are used to quantify the performance of photocathodes (ca. 11 nm thick) consisting of 100-1000 nm nanoflakes. Surfactant treatment results in an increased photocurrent attributed to edge site passivation. The pre-annealing treatment alone, while clearly altering the crystallinity of pre-exfoliated powders, does not significantly affect the photocurrent. However, applying both defect treatments affords a considerable improvement that represents a new benchmark for the performance of solution-processed WSe2: solar photocurrents for H2 evolution up to 4.0 mA cm-2 and internal quantum efficiency over 60% (740 nm illumination). These results also show that charge recombination at flake edges dominates performance in bare TMD nanoflakes, but when the edge defects are passivated, internal defects become important and can be reduced by pre-annealing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Yu
- Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Optoelectronic Nanomaterials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Néstor Guijarro
- Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Optoelectronic Nanomaterials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melissa Johnson
- Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Optoelectronic Nanomaterials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kevin Sivula
- Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Optoelectronic Nanomaterials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Station 6, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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36
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Freitas ALM, Souza FL. Synergetic effect of Sn addition and oxygen-deficient atmosphere to fabricate active hematite photoelectrodes for light-induced water splitting. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 28:454002. [PMID: 29039357 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aa8b5d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This work describes the design of a microwave-assisted method using hydrothermal conditions to fabricate pure and Sn-doped hematite photoelectrodes with varied synthesis time and additional thermal treatment under air and N2 atmosphere. The hematite photoelectrode formed under N2 atmosphere, with Sn deposited on its surface-which is represented by material synthesized at 4 h -exhibits the highest performance. Hence, Sn addition followed by high temperature annealing conducted in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere seems to create oxygen vacancies, and to prevent the segregation of dopant to form the SnO2 phase at the hematite crystal surface, reducing its energy and suppressing the grain growth. The increased donor number density provided by the oxygen vacancies (confirmed by x-ray photoelectron data), and a possible reduction in the grain boundary energy or hematite crystal interface might favor charge separation, and increase the electron transfer through the hematite into the back contact (FTO substrate). In consequence, the light-induced water oxidation reaction efficiency of Sn-hematite photoelectrodes was significantly increased in comparison with pure ones, even though the vertical rod morphology was not preserved. This finding provides a novel insight into intentional Sn addition, revealing that dopant segregation at the hematite crystal surface (or at the grain boundaries) could-by increasing the electron mobility-be the more relevant factor in developing active hematite photoelectrodes than the control of columnar morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre L M Freitas
- Laboratory of Alternative Energy and Nanomaterials (LEAN), Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Avenida dos Estados 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil
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37
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Kearney K, Rockett A, Ertekin E. Computational insights into charge transfer across functionalized semiconductor surfaces. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ADVANCED MATERIALS 2017; 18:681-692. [PMID: 31001363 PMCID: PMC6454407 DOI: 10.1080/14686996.2017.1370962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical water-splitting is a promising carbon-free fuel production method for producing H2 and O2 gas from liquid water. These cells are typically composed of at least one semiconductor photoelectrode which is prone to degradation and/or oxidation. Various surface modifications are known for stabilizing semiconductor photoelectrodes, yet stabilization techniques are often accompanied by a decrease in photoelectrode performance. However, the impact of surface modification on charge transport and its consequence on performance is still lacking, creating a roadblock for further improvements. In this review, we discuss how density functional theory and finite-element device simulations are reliable tools for providing insight into charge transport across modified photoelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Kearney
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Angus Rockett
- Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Elif Ertekin
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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38
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Ito NM, Carvalho WM, Muche DNF, Castro RHR, Dalpian GM, Souza FL. High temperature activation of hematite nanorods for sunlight driven water oxidation reaction. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:25025-25032. [PMID: 28876339 DOI: 10.1039/c7cp04827k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Here we show that chlorine species originating from commonly used iron precursors annihilate the hematite nanorod photocurrent by providing recombination pathways. Although hematite nanorod films could be obtained by thermal decomposition of the iron oxyhydroxide phase (β-FeOOH), indistinguishable photocurrent responses under dark and sunlight irradiation conditions were observed until the nanorods were annealed (activated) at 750 °C. The annealing led to the elimination of observable chlorine species and allowed photocurrent responses of 1.3 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is comparable to the best results found in the literature, suggesting that residual chlorine species from the synthesis can act as electron traps and recombination sites for photogenerated holes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Minko Ito
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados No. 5001, Bangu, Santo André, São Paulo CEP 09210-580, Brazil.
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39
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Panzarasa G, Aghion S, Marra G, Wagner A, Liedke MO, Elsayed M, Krause-Rehberg R, Ferragut R, Consolati G. Probing the Impact of the Initiator Layer on Grafted-from Polymer Brushes: A Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy Study. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b00953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guido Panzarasa
- Department
of Polymer Engineering and Science, Montanuniversität, Otto-Glöckel Straβe
2, 8700 Leoben, Austria
| | - Stefano Aghion
- LNESS,
Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, via Anzani 42, 22100 Como, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale
di Fisica Nucleare, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Marra
- Eni Donegani Research
Center for Renewable Energies and Environment, Via Fauser 4, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Andreas Wagner
- Institute
of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner
Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Maciej Oskar Liedke
- Institute
of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner
Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mohamed Elsayed
- Institut
für Physik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle, 06099 Halle, Germany
| | | | - Rafael Ferragut
- LNESS,
Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, via Anzani 42, 22100 Como, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale
di Fisica Nucleare, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Consolati
- Department
of Aerospace Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano, via La Masa
34, 20156 Milano, Italy
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40
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Cheng Q, Benipal MK, Liu Q, Wang X, Crozier PA, Chan CK, Nemanich RJ. Al 2O 3 and SiO 2 Atomic Layer Deposition Layers on ZnO Photoanodes and Degradation Mechanisms. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:16138-16147. [PMID: 28441470 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b01274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Strategies for protecting unstable semiconductors include the utilization of surface layers composed of thin films deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The protective layer is expected to (1) be stable against reaction with photogenerated holes, (2) prevent direct contact of the unstable semiconductor with the electrolyte, and (3) prevent the migration of ions through the semiconductor/electrolyte interface, while still allowing photogenerated carriers to transport to the interface and participate in the desired redox reactions. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an attractive photocatalyst material due to its high absorption coefficient and high carrier mobilities. However, ZnO is chemically unstable and undergoes photocorrosion, which limits its use in applications such as in photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting or photocatalytic water purification. This article describes an investigation of the band alignment, electrochemical properties, and interfacial structure of ZnO coated with Al2O3 and SiO2 ALD layers. The interface electronic properties were determined using in situ X-ray and UV photoemission spectroscopy, and the photochemical response and stability under voltage bias were determined using linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The resulting surface structure and degradation processes were identified using atomic force, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. The suite of characterization tools enable the failure mechanisms to be more clearly discerned. The results show that the rapid photocorrosion of ZnO thin films is only slightly slowed by use of an Al2O3 ALD coating. A 4 nm SiO2 layer proved to be more effective, but its protection capability could be affected by the diffusion of ions from the electrolyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Cheng
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Manpuneet K Benipal
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Qianlang Liu
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Xingye Wang
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Peter A Crozier
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Candace K Chan
- Materials Science and Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-6106, United States
| | - Robert J Nemanich
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona 85287-1504, United States
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41
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Pastor E, Le Formal F, Mayer MT, Tilley SD, Francàs L, Mesa CA, Grätzel M, Durrant JR. Spectroelectrochemical analysis of the mechanism of (photo)electrochemical hydrogen evolution at a catalytic interface. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14280. [PMID: 28233785 PMCID: PMC5333116 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-electron heterogeneous catalysis is a pivotal element in the (photo)electrochemical generation of solar fuels. However, mechanistic studies of these systems are difficult to elucidate by means of electrochemical methods alone. Here we report a spectroelectrochemical analysis of hydrogen evolution on ruthenium oxide employed as an electrocatalyst and as part of a cuprous oxide-based photocathode. We use optical absorbance spectroscopy to quantify the densities of reduced ruthenium oxide species, and correlate these with current densities resulting from proton reduction. This enables us to compare directly the catalytic function of dark and light electrodes. We find that hydrogen evolution is second order in the density of active, doubly reduced species independent of whether these are generated by applied potential or light irradiation. Our observation of a second order rate law allows us to distinguish between the most common reaction paths and propose a mechanism involving the homolytic reductive elimination of hydrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Pastor
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Florian Le Formal
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew T. Mayer
- Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - S. David Tilley
- Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laia Francàs
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Camilo A. Mesa
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michael Grätzel
- Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - James R. Durrant
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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42
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Chen B, Fan W, Mao B, Shen H, Shi W. Enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation performance of a hematite photoanode by decorating with Au–Pt core–shell nanoparticles. Dalton Trans 2017; 46:16050-16057. [DOI: 10.1039/c7dt03838k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The charge transfer process of the AuPt/α-Fe2O3 composite photoanode for photoelectrochemical water oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biyi Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Jiangsu University
- Zhenjiang
- P. R. China
| | - Weiqiang Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Jiangsu University
- Zhenjiang
- P. R. China
| | - Baodong Mao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Jiangsu University
- Zhenjiang
- P. R. China
| | - Hao Shen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Jiangsu University
- Zhenjiang
- P. R. China
| | - Weidong Shi
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Jiangsu University
- Zhenjiang
- P. R. China
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43
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Montoya JH, Seitz LC, Chakthranont P, Vojvodic A, Jaramillo TF, Nørskov JK. Materials for solar fuels and chemicals. NATURE MATERIALS 2016; 16:70-81. [PMID: 27994241 DOI: 10.1038/nmat4778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 585] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of sunlight into fuels and chemicals is an attractive prospect for the storage of renewable energy, and photoelectrocatalytic technologies represent a pathway by which solar fuels might be realized. However, there are numerous scientific challenges in developing these technologies. These include finding suitable materials for the absorption of incident photons, developing more efficient catalysts for both water splitting and the production of fuels, and understanding how interfaces between catalysts, photoabsorbers and electrolytes can be designed to minimize losses and resist degradation. In this Review, we highlight recent milestones in these areas and some key scientific challenges remaining between the current state of the art and a technology that can effectively convert sunlight into fuels and chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Montoya
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Linsey C Seitz
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
- Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Pongkarn Chakthranont
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Aleksandra Vojvodic
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Thomas F Jaramillo
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Jens K Nørskov
- SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Shriram Center, 443 Via Ortega, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
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44
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Matheu R, Neudeck S, Meyer F, Sala X, Llobet A. Foot of the Wave Analysis for Mechanistic Elucidation and Benchmarking Applications in Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysis. CHEMSUSCHEM 2016; 9:3361-3369. [PMID: 27863132 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201601286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The description of the foot of the wave analysis (FOWA) applied to the electrocatalytic oxidation of water to dioxygen is reported for cases where the rate determining step is first order and second order with regard to catalyst concentration, coinciding mechanistically with the so-called water nucleophilic attack (WNA) and the interaction of two M-O units (I2M, where M represents the metal center of the catalyst), respectively. The newly adapted equations are applied to a range of relevant molecular catalysts, both in homogeneous and heterogeneous phase, and the kinetic parameters are determined, including apparent rate constants and turnover frequencies. In this respect, the application of FOWA at different catalyst concentrations allows elucidation of the reaction mechanism that operates in each case. In addition, catalytic Tafel plots are used for assessing the performance of several molecular water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) as a function of overpotential under analogous conditions, and thus can be used for benchmarking purposes. This analysis was carried out earlier for oxide-based WOCs; however, this is the first report using molecular WOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roc Matheu
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Avinguda Països Catalans 16, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
- Departament de Química Física i Inorgànica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Marcel⋅lí i Domingo s/n, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Sven Neudeck
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franc Meyer
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- International Center for Advanced Studies of Energy Conversion, Georg-August-University, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xavier Sala
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Antoni Llobet
- Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Avinguda Països Catalans 16, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
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45
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Wang D, Yu Y, Zhang Z, Fang H, Chen J, He Z, Song S. Ag/Ag2SO3 plasmonic catalysts with high activity and stability for CO2 reduction with water vapor under visible light. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:18369-18378. [PMID: 27282369 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7032-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of CO2 into useful raw materials for fuels and chemicals by solar energy is described using a plasmonic photocatalyst comprised of Ag supported on Ag2SO3 (Ag/Ag2SO3) fabricated by a facile solid-state ion-exchange method and subsequent reduction with hydrazine hydrate. The optimum molar ratio of Ag(0)/Ag(+) was 5 %. Visible light irradiation (>400 nm) of the Ag/Ag2SO3 powder in the presence of CO2 and water vapor led to the formation of CH4 and CO with a quantum yield of 0.126 %, and an energy returned on energy invested of 0.156 %. The Ag/Ag2SO3 retained high catalytic activity after ten successive experimental cycles. The catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analyses, as well as photocurrent action spectroscopy. It is proposed that the photocatalytic activity of the catalysts is initiated by energy conversion from incident photons to localized surface plasmon resonance oscillations of silver nanoparticles. This plasmonic energy is transferred to the Ag2SO3 by direct electron transfer and/or resonant energy transfer, causing the separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Wang
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Yan Yu
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhang
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Huiying Fang
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Jianmeng Chen
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Zhiqiao He
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Shuang Song
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China.
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46
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Jafari T, Moharreri E, Amin AS, Miao R, Song W, Suib SL. Photocatalytic Water Splitting-The Untamed Dream: A Review of Recent Advances. Molecules 2016; 21:molecules21070900. [PMID: 27409596 PMCID: PMC6274578 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21070900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Photocatalytic water splitting using sunlight is a promising technology capable of providing high energy yield without pollutant byproducts. Herein, we review various aspects of this technology including chemical reactions, physiochemical conditions and photocatalyst types such as metal oxides, sulfides, nitrides, nanocomposites, and doped materials followed by recent advances in computational modeling of photoactive materials. As the best-known catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution, TiO2 is discussed in a separate section, along with its challenges such as the wide band gap, large overpotential for hydrogen evolution, and rapid recombination of produced electron-hole pairs. Various approaches are addressed to overcome these shortcomings, such as doping with different elements, heterojunction catalysts, noble metal deposition, and surface modification. Development of a photocatalytic corrosion resistant, visible light absorbing, defect-tuned material with small particle size is the key to complete the sunlight to hydrogen cycle efficiently. Computational studies have opened new avenues to understand and predict the electronic density of states and band structure of advanced materials and could pave the way for the rational design of efficient photocatalysts for water splitting. Future directions are focused on developing innovative junction architectures, novel synthesis methods and optimizing the existing active materials to enhance charge transfer, visible light absorption, reducing the gas evolution overpotential and maintaining chemical and physical stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Jafari
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3222, USA.
| | - Ehsan Moharreri
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3222, USA.
| | - Alireza Shirazi Amin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA.
| | - Ran Miao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA.
| | - Wenqiao Song
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA.
| | - Steven L Suib
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3222, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA.
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47
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Wang JC, Ren J, Yao HC, Zhang L, Wang JS, Zang SQ, Han LF, Li ZJ. Synergistic photocatalysis of Cr(VI) reduction and 4-Chlorophenol degradation over hydroxylated α-Fe2O3 under visible light irradiation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2016; 311:11-9. [PMID: 26954471 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.02.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
A series of Fe2O3 materials with hydroxyl are synthesized in different monohydric alcohol (C2-C5) solvents by solvothermal method and characterized by XRD, BET, XPS, TG and EA. The amount of hydroxyl is demonstrated to be emerged on the surface of the as-synthesized Fe2O3 particles and their contents are determined to be from 7.99 to 3.74 wt%. The Cr(VI) reduction experiments show that the hydroxyl content of Fe2O3 samples exacts great influence on the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation (λ>400 nm) and that the Fe2O3 sample synthesized in n-butyl alcohol exhibits the optimal photocatalytic activity. The synergistic photocatalysis for 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP) degradation and Cr(VI) reduction over above Fe2O3 sample is further investigated. The photocatalytic ratio of Cr(VI) reduction are enhanced from 24.8% to 70.2% while that of 4-CP oxidation are increased from 13.5% to 47.8% after 1 h visible light irradiation. The Fe2O3 sample keeps good degradation rates of mixed pollutants after 9 runs. The active oxygen intermediates O2(-)˙, ˙OH and H2O2 formed in the photoreaction process are discovered by ESR measurement and UV-vis test. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism is proposed accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Chao Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Juan Ren
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Hong-Chang Yao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Lin Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jian-She Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Shuang-Quan Zang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Li-Feng Han
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Zhong-Jun Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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48
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Landsmann S, Surace Y, Trottmann M, Dilger S, Weidenkaff A, Pokrant S. Controlled Design of Functional Nano-Coatings: Reduction of Loss Mechanisms in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:12149-12157. [PMID: 27159411 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b01129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Efficient water splitting with photoelectrodes requires highly performing and stable photoactive materials. Since there is no material known which fulfills all these requirements because of various loss mechanisms, we present a strategy for efficiency enhancement of photoanodes via deposition of functional coatings in the nanometer range. Origins of performance losses in particle-based oxynitride photoanodes were identified and specifically designed coatings were deposited to address each loss mechanism individually. Amorphous TiO2 located at interparticle boundaries enables high electron conductivity. A thin layer of amorphous Ta2O5 can be used as protection layer for photoanodes because of its hole conductivity and thermal and chemical stability. An amorphous layer of NiOx and Co(OH)2 reduces photocorrosion or increases water oxidation kinetics because they act as a hole-capture material or water oxidation catalyst, respectively. Crystalline CoOx nanoparticles increase photocurrent and reduce the onset potential due to enhanced charge separation. The combination of all coatings deposited by a scalable, mild, and reproducible step-by-step approach leads to high-performance oxynitride-based photoanodes providing a maximum photocurrent of 2.52 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 VRHE under AM1.5G illumination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Landsmann
- Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland , and
| | - Yuri Surace
- Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland , and
| | - Matthias Trottmann
- Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland , and
| | - Stefan Dilger
- Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland , and
| | - Anke Weidenkaff
- Institute for Material Science, University of Stuttgart , Heisenbergstraße 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Simone Pokrant
- Laboratory Materials for Energy Conversion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland , and
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49
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Flynn CJ, McCullough SM, Oh E, Li L, Mercado CC, Farnum BH, Li W, Donley CL, You W, Nozik AJ, McBride JR, Meyer TJ, Kanai Y, Cahoon JF. Site-Selective Passivation of Defects in NiO Solar Photocathodes by Targeted Atomic Deposition. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:4754-4761. [PMID: 26821265 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b01090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
For nanomaterials, surface chemistry can dictate fundamental material properties, including charge-carrier lifetimes, doping levels, and electrical mobilities. In devices, surface defects are usually the key limiting factor for performance, particularly in solar-energy applications. Here, we develop a strategy to uniformly and selectively passivate defect sites in semiconductor nanomaterials using a vapor-phase process termed targeted atomic deposition (TAD). Because defects often consist of atomic vacancies and dangling bonds with heightened reactivity, we observe-for the widely used p-type cathode nickel oxide-that a volatile precursor such as trimethylaluminum can undergo a kinetically limited selective reaction with these sites. The TAD process eliminates all measurable defects in NiO, leading to a nearly 3-fold improvement in the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. Our results suggest that TAD could be implemented with a range of vapor-phase precursors and be developed into a general strategy to passivate defects in zero-, one-, and two-dimensional nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory J Flynn
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Shannon M McCullough
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - EunBi Oh
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Lesheng Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Candy C Mercado
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309-0027, United States
| | - Byron H Farnum
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Wentao Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Carrie L Donley
- Chapel Hill Analytical and Nanofabrication Laboratory (CHANL), Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3216, United States
| | - Wei You
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Arthur J Nozik
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309-0027, United States
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory , 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - James R McBride
- Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Thomas J Meyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Yosuke Kanai
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - James F Cahoon
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
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50
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Yang W, Oh Y, Kim J, Kim H, Shin H, Moon J. Photoelectrochemical Properties of Vertically Aligned CuInS2 Nanorod Arrays Prepared via Template-Assisted Growth and Transfer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:425-431. [PMID: 26645722 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b09241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Although copper-based chalcopyrite materials such as CuInS2 have been considered promising photocathodes for solar water splitting, the fabrication route for a nanostructure with vertical orientation has not yet been developed. Here, a fabrication route for vertically aligned CuInS2 nanorod arrays from an aqueous solution using anodic aluminum oxide template-assisted growth and transfer is presented. The nanorods exhibit a phase-pure CuInS2 chalcopyrite structure and cathodic photocurrent response without co-catalyst loading. Small particles of CdS and ZnS were conformally decorated onto CuInS2 nanorods using a successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method. With surface modification of CdS/ZnS, the photoelectrochemical properties of CuInS2 nanorod arrays are enhanced via flat-band potential shift, as determined by analyses of onset potential and Mott-Schottky plots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooseok Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University , 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunjung Oh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University , 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Jimin Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University , 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunchul Kim
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University , Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunjung Shin
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University , Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746, Republic of Korea
| | - Jooho Moon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University , 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
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