MoS2 is an earth-abundant and low-cost HER electrocatalyst that can substitute noble metal catalysts. Here, we develop the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of MoS2 nanomaterials on p-Si photocathodes for highly efficient and stable PEC water reduction reactions.
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells have attracted much attention as a viable route for storing solar energy and producing value-added chemicals and fuels. However, the competition between light absorption and electrocatalysis at a restrained cocatalyst area on conventional planar-type photoelectrodes could limit their conversion efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a new monolithic photoelectrode architecture that eliminate the optical-electrochemical coupling by forming locally nanostructured cocatalysts on a photoelectrode. As a model study, Ni inverse opal (IO), an ordered three-dimensional porous nanostructure, was used as a surface-area-controlled electrocatalyst locally formed on Si photoanodes. The optical-electrochemical decoupling of our monolithic photoanodes significantly enhances the PEC performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by increasing light absorption and by providing more electrochemically active sites. Our Si photoanode with local Ni IOs maintains an identical photolimiting current density but reduces the overpotential by about 120 mV compared to a Si photoanode with planar Ni cocatalysts with the same footprint under 1 sun illumination. Finally, a highly efficient Si photoanode with an onset potential of 0.94 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a photocurrent density of 31.2 mA/cm at 1.23 V vs RHE in 1 M KOH under 1 sun illumination is achieved with local NiFe alloy IOs.
Cobalt
oxide (CoO
x
), an earth-abundant
and low-cost oxygen evolving catalyst (OEC), has notable advantages
as a top protection layer of photoanodes for solar-driven water oxidation
because of its desirable durability. However, cobalt oxides exist
as various phases, such as Co(II)O, Co2(III)O3, Co3(II,III)O4, and the (photo)electrochemical
properties of CoO
x
are significantly governed
by its phase. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a suitable method to
form a multifunctional layer for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water
splitting because it allows direct growth of a conformal high-quality
film on various substrates as well as facile control over its chemical
phases by adjusting the deposition conditions. Here, a well-controlled
CoO
x
/SiO
x
/n-Si
heterojunction prepared by ALD is demonstrated for solar-driven water
splitting. The phase of the ALD CoO
x
films
can be easily controlled from CoO to Co3O4 by
varying the deposition temperature. In addition, this systematic study
reveals that its energetic as well as electrochemical properties are
changed significantly with the phase. Whereas CoO grown at 150 °C
produces high photovoltage by building desirable hole-selective heterojunctions
with n-Si, Co3O4 formed at 300 °C has a
better catalytic property for water oxidation. To address this competitive
correlation, we developed a double-layered (DL) ALD CoO
x
film that has advantages of both CoO and Co3O4. The DL ALD CoO
x
/SiO
x
/Si heterojunction photoanode produces
a photocurrent density of 3.5 mA/cm2 without a buried junction
and maintains a saturating current density of 32.5 mA/cm2 without noticeable degradation during 12 h in 1 M KOH under a simulated
1 sun illumination.
A new
passivation strategy for an oxygen evolving Si photoanode
for efficient and stable photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting
is presented. In our Si photoanode structure, to eliminate the Si/water
interface, the Si is stabilized with a thick insulating and chemically
inert SiO2 film and locally defined electrocatalysts on
the Si surface. The stabilized p+n-Si photoanode with SiO2 film and micropatterned Ni catalysts produced photocurrent
densities of 27 mA cm–2 at water oxidation potential
without corrosion for 24 h under water oxidation conditions. In addition,
we provide a device modeling of our Si cell, i.e., an integrated photovoltaics–electrolyzer
cell, to quantitatively assess the interplay between optical shadowing
and catalytic performance, as a function of the coverage and characteristics
of electrocatalysts on the water oxidation reaction during PEC water
splitting. Design principles for high performance oxygen evolving
Si photoanodes are presented based on the device modeling.
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