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Takhar D, Birajdar B, Ghosh RK. Dual functionality of the BiN monolayer: unraveling its photocatalytic and piezocatalytic water splitting properties. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:16261-16272. [PMID: 38804603 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01047g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
To achieve scalable and economically viable green hydrogen (H2) production, the photocatalytic and piezocatalytic processes are promising methods. The key to successful overall water splitting (OWS) for H2 production in these processes is using suitable semiconductor catalysts with appropriate band edge potentials, efficient optical absorption, higher mechanical flexibility, and piezoelectric coefficients. Thus, we explore the bismuth nitride (BiN) monolayer using density functional theory simulations, revealing intriguing catalytic properties. The BiN monolayer is a semiconductor with an indirect electronic bandgap (Eg) of 2.08 eV and displays excellent visible light absorption (approximately 105 cm-1). Detailed analyses show that the band edges satisfy the redox potential for photocatalytic OWS via biaxial strain engineering and pH variation. Notably, the solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency (ηSTH) for the BiN monolayer can reach 17.18%, which exceeds the 10% efficiency limit of photocatalysts for economical green H2 production. The obtained in-plane piezoelectric coefficient of e11 = 16.18 Å C m-1 is superior to widely studied 2D materials. Moreover, the generated piezopotential under oscillatory strain stands at 28.34 V, which can initiate the water redox reaction via the piezocatalytic mechanism. This originates from the mechanical flexibility coupled with higher piezoelectric coefficients. The result highlights the BiN monolayer's potential application in photocatalytic, piezocatalytic, and photo-piezo-catalytic OWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devender Takhar
- Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Balaji Birajdar
- Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Ram Krishna Ghosh
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi 110020, India.
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Trung PD, Tong HD. A first-principles prediction of the structural, electronic, transport and photocatalytic properties of GaGeX 3 (X = S, Se, Te) monolayers. RSC Adv 2024; 14:15979-15986. [PMID: 38765476 PMCID: PMC11099986 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra00949e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of new 2D materials with superior properties motivates scientists to make breakthroughs in various applications. In this study, using calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), we have comprehensively investigated the geometrical characteristics and stability of GaGeX3 monolayers (X = S, Se, or Te), determining their electronic and transport properties, and some essential optical and photocatalytic properties. AIMD simulations show that these materials are highly structurally and thermodynamically stable. Notably, the GaGeSe3 monolayer is a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.9 eV and has a high photon absorption coefficient of up to 1.1 × 105 cm-1 in the visible region. The calculated solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of the GaGeSe3 monolayer is 11.33%, which is relatively high compared to some published 2D materials. Furthermore, the electronic conductivity of the GaGeSe3 monolayer is 790.65 cm2 V-1 s-1. Our findings suggest that the GaGeSe3 monolayer is a new promising catalyst for the solar water-splitting reaction to give hydrogen and a potential new 2D material for electrical devices with high electron mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham D Trung
- Yersin University 27 Ton That Tung, Ward 8 Dalat City Lam Dong Province Vietnam
| | - Hien D Tong
- Faculty of Engineering, Vietnamese-German University Binh Duong Vietnam
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Koranteng-Mantey E, Kessie C, Selorm Agorku E, Kwaansa-Ansah EE, Osei-Bonsu Oppong S, Opoku F. Interfacial Electronic States of GeC/g-C 3N 4 van der Waal Heterostructure with Promising Photocatalytic Activity via Hydrogenation. Chemphyschem 2024; 25:e202300947. [PMID: 38335116 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202300947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The bandgap of most known two-dimensional materials can be tuned by hydrogenation, although certain 2D materials lack a sufficient wide bandgap. Currently, it would be perfect to design non-toxic, low-cost, and high-performance photocatalysts for photocatalytic water splitting via hydrogenation. We systematically examine the impact of hydrogenation on the optical and electronic characteristics of GeC/g-C3N4 vdW heterostructures (vdWHs) with four different stacking patterns using first-principles calculations. The phonon spectra, interlayer distance, binding energies and ab initio molecular dynamics calculations show the kinetic, mechanical, and thermal stability of GeC/g-C3N4 vdWH after hydrogenation at 300, 500 and 800 K and possesses anisotropic Poisson's ratio, Young's and bulk modulus, suggesting that it's a promising candidate for experimental fabrication. According to an investigation of its electronic properties, GeC/g-C3N4 vdWH has a bandgap of 1.28 eV, but hydrogenation dramatically increases it to 2.47 eV. As a result of interface-induced electronic doping, the electronic states in g-C3N4 might be significantly adjusted by coming into contact with hydrogenated GeC sheets. The vdWH exhibits a type-II semiconductor, which can enhance the spatial separation of electron-hole pairs and has a strong red-shift of absorption coefficient than those of the constituent monolayers. The high potential drop caused by the significant valence and conduction band offsets effectively separated the charge carriers. The absorption coefficient of GeCH2/g-C3N4 vdWH is highly influenced by a biaxial compressive strain more than the biaxial tensile strain. Our theoretical research implies that the hydrogenated GeCH2/g-C3N4 vdWH possesses tunable optical and electronic behaviour for use as a hole-transport material in solar energy harvesting, nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Koranteng-Mantey
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UP, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Charles Kessie
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UP, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Eric Selorm Agorku
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UP, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Edward Ebow Kwaansa-Ansah
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UP, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Francis Opoku
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UP, Kumasi, Ghana
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Xiong J, Gong Q, Feng T, Wang M, Zhang X, Liu G, Qiao G, Xu Z. Enhance Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Performance via Double-Stacked Edges of Black Phosphorene. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:21115-21127. [PMID: 38063020 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we explored the structures and HER catalytic properties of reconstructed and double-stacked black phosphorene (BP) edges. Ten bilayer BP edges were constructed by the double stacking of three typical monolayer edges, i.e., zigzag (ZZ) edge, armchair (AC) edge, skewed diagonal (SD) edge, and their reconstructed derivatives with their layer's configurations, edge deformations and thermodynamic stabilities were discussed. Based on these edges, five chemical sites on four bilayer BP edges were selected to be promising candidates for a HER catalyst, which present higher HER activities than that of Pt(111). Besides, among these four edges, two edges have even lower energetic barriers for the Tafel reaction. Compared with the monolayer edges, these selected bilayer BP edges confirm the remarkable enhancement of the HER catalytic properties, which can be attributed to their unique edge structures and the enhanced electronic densities after the hydrogen adsorptions. Finally, the thermostability of these edges at room temperature has also been proved by the DFT-MD simulations. This theoretic study deepens our fundamental understanding of the double-stacked edge structures of the BP and provides a new way for the rational design of highly efficient and noble-metal-free HER catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianling Xiong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Gong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Tianliang Feng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Mingsong Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Xiuyun Zhang
- College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, China
| | - Guiwu Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Guanjun Qiao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
| | - Ziwei Xu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P.R. China
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