Issue 7, 2023

Aluminum-doped cadmium sulfide homojunction photoelectrode with optimal film quality and water-splitting performance

Abstract

The electronic band configuration and film quality are two crucial factors of photoelectrodes for conducting photoelectrocatalytic reactions with high efficiency and stability; thus, they need to be rationally designed. In this work, a CdS/CdS:Al-based photoanode is prepared to simultaneously enhance the optimized band structure and film quality. In this architecture, the migration of holes from the light-harvesting component (CdS) to the reduction sites (counter electrode) is inhibited, accompanied with the construction of a desirable transport path for photogenerated electrons to the reduction sites. These features consequently result in the following characteristics: rapid charge separation, a low resistance, a suppressed dark current, and an optimized onset potential. In addition, in the presence of a CdS:Al layer, the in situ grown CdS presents a reduced crystal size, enhanced hydrophilicity, and optimized film continuity. Meanwhile, density functional theory calculations (DFT) reveal that the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity is enhanced after adding CdS:Al as an insertion layer. Thus, an improved MoS2/CdS:Al/CdS photoanode with high promise is achieved, demonstrating a photocurrent density in the electrolyte with a sacrificial agent of up to 7.9 mA cm−2 (at 0 V vs. VAg/AgCl), an on-set potential of −1.23 V (vs. VAg/AgCl), good stability, and an almost totally suppressed dark current.

Graphical abstract: Aluminum-doped cadmium sulfide homojunction photoelectrode with optimal film quality and water-splitting performance

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Dec 2022
Accepted
29 Jan 2023
First published
30 Jan 2023

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2023,13, 2108-2122

Aluminum-doped cadmium sulfide homojunction photoelectrode with optimal film quality and water-splitting performance

J. Zhang, F. Yu, H. Yu, S. Yang, G. Zhang, F. Jiang, M. Zhang and D. Luo, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2023, 13, 2108 DOI: 10.1039/D2CY02136F

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