We present a study of a transition metal oxide composite modified n-Si photoanode for efficient and stable water oxidation. This sputter-coated composite functions as a protective coating to prevent Si from photodecomposition, a Schottky heterojunction, a hole conducting layer for efficient charge separation and transportation, and an electrocatalyst to reduce the reaction overpotential. The formation of mixed-valence oxides composed of Ni and Ru effectively modifies the optical, electrical, and catalytic properties of the coating material, as well as the interfaces with Si. The successful application of this oxide composite on nanotextured Si demonstrates improved conversion efficiency due to enhanced catalytic activity, minimized reflection, and increased surface reaction sites. Although the coated nanotextured Si shows a noticeable degradation from 500 cycles of operation, the oxide composite provides a simple method to enable unstable photoanode materials for solar fuel conversion.

Nickel films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on top of polycarbonate substrates. Surface energy of the substrate was measured by means of the contact angle technique. Effects of sputtering parameters on the critical load between the film and the substrate were determined by the universal mechanical testing system. Optimized fabrication parameters and their influence on the critical load between sputtered nickel films and polymer substrate were studied by means of the orthogonal experimental design. Increasing radio frequency power and time improved film critical load. The radio frequency power had a more pronounced effect on critical load than the sputter power. The plasma pretreatment with Ar gas modified the surface, leading to an increased surface energy, improving the chemical bonds between nickel and carbon atoms, and thereby enhanced the critical load. The adhesion mechanism is also discussed in this paper.