Issue 46, 2014

Pt-free tandem molecular photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting driven by visible light

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells using molecular catalysts to split water into hydrogen and oxygen have been investigated intensively during the past years. However, the high-cost of Pt counter electrodes and instability of molecular PEC cells hinder the practical applications. We describe in this article a Pt-free tandem molecular PEC cell, for the first time, employing molecular ruthenium- and cobalt-catalysts with strong dipicolinic acid anchoring groups on the respective photoanode and photocathode for total water splitting. The Pt-free tandem molecular PEC cell showed an effective and steady photocurrent density of ca. 25 μA cm−2 for water splitting driven by visible light without external bias. This study indicates that tandem molecular PEC cells can provide great potential to the Pt-free devices for light driven total water splitting.

Graphical abstract: Pt-free tandem molecular photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting driven by visible light

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
04 Oct 2014
Accepted
08 Oct 2014
First published
08 Oct 2014

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2014,16, 25234-25240

Pt-free tandem molecular photoelectrochemical cells for water splitting driven by visible light

K. Fan, F. Li, L. Wang, Q. Daniel, E. Gabrielsson and L. Sun, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2014, 16, 25234 DOI: 10.1039/C4CP04489D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements