Issue 4, 2019

A microstructured p-Si photocathode outcompetes Pt as a counter electrode to hematite in photoelectrochemical water splitting

Abstract

Herein, we communicate about an Earth-abundant semiconductor photocathode (p-Si/TiO2/NiOx) as an alternative for the rare and expensive Pt as a counter electrode for overall photoelectrochemical water splitting. The proposed photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting device mimics the “Z”-scheme observed in natural photosynthesis by combining two photoelectrodes in a parallel-illumination mode. A nearly 60% increase in the photocurrent density (Jph) for pristine α-Fe2O3 and a 77% increase in the applied bias photocurrent efficiency (ABPE) were achieved by replacing the conventionally used Pt cathode with an efficient, cost effective p-Si/TiO2/NiOx photocathode under parallel illumination. The resulting photocurrent density of 1.26 mA cm−2 at 1.23VRHE represents a new record performance for hydrothermally grown pristine α-Fe2O3 nanorod photoanodes in combination with a photocathode, which opens the prospect for further improvement by doping α-Fe2O3 or by its decoration with co-catalysts. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements suggest that this significant performance increase is due to the enhancement of the space-charge field in α-Fe2O3.

Graphical abstract: A microstructured p-Si photocathode outcompetes Pt as a counter electrode to hematite in photoelectrochemical water splitting

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
10 sept. 2018
Accepted
30 nov. 2018
First published
03 déc. 2018
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Dalton Trans., 2019,48, 1166-1170

A microstructured p-Si photocathode outcompetes Pt as a counter electrode to hematite in photoelectrochemical water splitting

A. Kawde, A. Annamalai, A. Sellstedt, P. Glatzel, T. Wågberg and J. Messinger, Dalton Trans., 2019, 48, 1166 DOI: 10.1039/C8DT03653E

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