Issue 2, 2024

Interfacial phosphate-like “bridge” mediates bulk charge and surface oxygenated-intermediate migration for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Abstract

Regulating the heterointerface structure is a great challenge to developing an efficient photoelectrode for solar water splitting. Herein, the interfacial phosphate ([PO]) was brought into the ZnIn2S4/CdS interface to modulate the energy band structure by in situ exchange strategy. The interfacial [PO] paved an electronic “bridge” to eliminate the multiphase thermal resistance and promoted the oxygenated-intermediate migration for the surface oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The optimized ZnIn2S4–PO/CdS (ZIS–P/CdS) photoanode presented a prominent PEC activity with a maximum photocurrent density of 5.19 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under AM 1.5 G illumination in a neutral solution without a sacrificial agent, which is about 9.8 times higher than that of the pristine ZnIn2S4 (0.53 mA cm−2). Furthermore, the oxygen output of ZIS–P/CdS was as high as 13.1 μmol within 3 h in the neutral solution. The in situ ultrafast spectroscopy and density functional theory simulation confirmed the [PO] promotion of the Z-scheme charge transfer and acceleration of the O–H bond breakage for OER. This work provides a new horizon for understanding the interface structure on the bulk charge migration and the surface reaction kinetics during the PEC reactions.

Graphical abstract: Interfacial phosphate-like “bridge” mediates bulk charge and surface oxygenated-intermediate migration for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Oct 2023
Accepted
02 Dec 2023
First published
02 Dec 2023

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 1309-1316

Interfacial phosphate-like “bridge” mediates bulk charge and surface oxygenated-intermediate migration for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

C. Wang, W. Zhang, S. Gu, S. Sun, M. Zhou, W. Chen and S. Li, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 1309 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA06203A

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