Issue 31, 2024

CoOOH/CdIn2S4 film photoanodes driving unbiased tandem cells towards simultaneous efficient oxidation of benzyl alcohol and selective generation of ethanol from CO2 reduction

Abstract

In unbiased tandem cells, the production of C2+ products from CO2 reduction on the cathode is dependent on the effective supply of charge from the photoanode. At present, the development and understanding of efficient photoanodes remain challenging. A CoOOH nanosheet coupled CdIn2S4 film (CoOOH/CdIn2S4) was investigated as a photoanode to drive solar benzyl alcohol oxidation. Relative to the CdIn2S4 photoanode, lower carrier recombination, better activity and faster kinetics were achieved on the CoOOH/CdIn2S4 photoanode for benzyl alcohol oxidation to benzaldehyde. Several investigations jointly revealed that the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde on the CoOOH/CdIn2S4 photoanode is mediated through the formation of hydroxyl radicals and the slight change of β-CoOOH into γ-CoOOH. Additionally, CoOOH coupling with CdIn2S4 is more energetically favourable for benzyl alcohol oxidation to benzaldehyde. Consequently, the CoOOH/CdIn2S4 photoanode shows high Faraday efficiency and selectivity for benzyl alcohol oxidation. In the CoOOH/CdIn2S4 photoanode–Cu2O cathode unbiased tandem cell, benzaldehyde and ethanol can be selectively produced from benzyl alcohol oxidation and CO2 reduction, respectively. Additionally, the CoOOH/CdIn2S4 photoanode can work stably to drive the unbiased cell, and 88% of its initial activity can be maintained after 4 h of reaction.

Graphical abstract: CoOOH/CdIn2S4 film photoanodes driving unbiased tandem cells towards simultaneous efficient oxidation of benzyl alcohol and selective generation of ethanol from CO2 reduction

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 May 2024
Accepted
27 Jun 2024
First published
01 Jul 2024

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 20017-20024

CoOOH/CdIn2S4 film photoanodes driving unbiased tandem cells towards simultaneous efficient oxidation of benzyl alcohol and selective generation of ethanol from CO2 reduction

Y. Wei, H. He, S. Yang, Y. Zhang, X. Zhou, Z. Zou and Y. Zhou, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 20017 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA03771E

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