Abstract

Photoelectrochemical catalysis is an attractive way to provide direct hydrogen production from solar energy. However, solar conversion efficiencies are hindered by the fact that light harvesting has so far been of limited efficiency in the near-infrared region as compared to that in the visible and ultraviolet regions. Here we introduce near-infrared-active photoanodes that feature lattice-matched morphological hetero-nanostructures, a strategy that improves energy conversion efficiency by increasing light-harvesting spectral range and charge separation efficiency simultaneously. Specifically, we demonstrate a near-infrared-active morphological heterojunction comprised of BiSeTe ternary alloy nanotubes and ultrathin nanosheets. The heterojunction’s hierarchical nanostructure separates charges at the lattice-matched interface of the two morphological components, preventing further carrier recombination. As a result, the photoanodes achieve an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 36% at 800 nm in an electrolyte solution containing hole scavengers without a co-catalyst.

The solar conversion efficiencies of photoelectrochemical catalysis are hindered by the light harvesting range. Here, the authors use near-infrared-active photoanodes that feature lattice-matched morphological hetero-nanostructures to realize efficient photoelectrochemical hydrogen production.

Details

Title
Boosting photoelectrochemical efficiency by near-infrared-active lattice-matched morphological heterojunctions
Author
Guo-Qiang, Liu 1 ; Yang, Yuan 1 ; Li, Yi 1 ; Zhuang Taotao 2 ; Xu-Feng, Li 3 ; Wicks, Joshua 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Tian Jie 5 ; Min-Rui, Gao 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jin-Lan, Peng 6 ; Huan-Xin, Ju 7 ; Wu, Liang 1 ; Yun-Xiang, Pan 8 ; Lu-An, Shi 1 ; Zhu, Haiming 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Zhu Junfa 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Shu-Hong, Yu 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sargent, Edward H 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Nanomaterials & Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Institute of Energy, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomimetic Materials & Chemistry, Anhui Engineering Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.59053.3a) (ISNI:0000000121679639) 
 University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Nanomaterials & Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Institute of Energy, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomimetic Materials & Chemistry, Anhui Engineering Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.59053.3a) (ISNI:0000000121679639); University of Toronto, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Toronto, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
 Zhejiang University, Department of Chemistry, Hangzhou, China (GRID:grid.13402.34) (ISNI:0000 0004 1759 700X) 
 University of Toronto, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Toronto, Canada (GRID:grid.17063.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2157 2938) 
 University of Science and Technology of China, Engineering and Materials Science Experiment Center, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.59053.3a) (ISNI:0000000121679639) 
 University of Science and Technology of China, Center for Micro- and Nanoscale Research and Fabrication, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.59053.3a) (ISNI:0000000121679639) 
 University of Science and Technology of China, National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.59053.3a) (ISNI:0000000121679639) 
 Hefei University of Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei, China (GRID:grid.256896.6) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2551410551
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.