A self-adaptive semiconductor–liquid junction for highly active and stable solar water splitting

Abstract

Constructing a semiconductor-liquid junction (SCLJ) with efficient charge transfer and excellent anti-photocorrosion is crucial yet challenging for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. Herein, we propose an effective surface reconstruction strategy to...

Expediting hole transfer via surface states in hematite-based composite photoanodes

“…The Mott-Schottky (M-S) curve can convey information about the carrier density (N D ) and flat potential (E fb ) of semiconductors. 41,42 Generally, the accurate measurement of capacitance requires an ideal flat morphology, and thus the data obtained was only used for comparison. 43 As shown in Fig.…”

Manipulating Surface Band Bending of III‐Nitride Nanowires with Ambipolar Charge‐Transfer Characteristics: A Pathway Toward Advanced Photoswitching Logic Gates and Encrypted Optical Communication

“…The ΔOCP value represents the degree of surface band bending, and an increase in the ΔOCP value demonstrates enhanced surface band bending. [ 50,53,54 ] As shown in Figure 3d, the ΔOCP value declines with an increasing thickness of the carbon layers, which gradually decreases from 1.11 to 0.045 V, indicating the amount of surface band bending gradually decreases, leading to a decrease in the total amount of photogenerated electrons migrating to the electrolyte. Thus, the carrier transport of the p‐AlGaN/n‐Si interface becomes the dominant role in determining the final output of the photocurrent in the bipolar junction.…”

Multifunctional Salt-Assisted Construction of Lignin-Derived Ru–Co Bimetal/Carbon Composites with Rich Nanointerface for Electrocatalytic Water Splitting

“…1−3 Among the various methods of hydrogen production, electrocatalytic water splitting has been considered as a promising method with high efficiency and carbon-free process, which can convert the electricity from those renewable energy sources with intermittent nature into hydrogen. 4,5 Compared with proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, alkaline water splitting can use nonprecious metal-based catalysts and avoid the use of expensive proton exchange membranes, which is an important means to achieve large-scale hydrogen production. 6,7 Unfortunately, because of the sluggish kinetics of both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode, the alkaline water splitting electrolyzer requires high potential to achieve high current density, further resulting in low energy conversion efficiency.…”

“…The rapid-growing consumption of fossil fuels have induced the global environment deterioration and energy crisis, so hydrogen, as a clean and green energy, can effectively remit CO 2 emission, which is drawing increasing attention. − Among the various methods of hydrogen production, electrocatalytic water splitting has been considered as a promising method with high efficiency and carbon-free process, which can convert the electricity from those renewable energy sources with intermittent nature into hydrogen. , Compared with proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, alkaline water splitting can use nonprecious metal-based catalysts and avoid the use of expensive proton exchange membranes, which is an important means to achieve large-scale hydrogen production. , Unfortunately, because of the sluggish kinetics of both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode, the alkaline water splitting electrolyzer requires high potential to achieve high current density, further resulting in low energy conversion efficiency. , Currently, Ru- and Ir-based catalysts are the most active for OER, and Pt is the benchmark electrocatalysts toward HER, all of which are subject to scarcity, high cost, and poor stability. Furthermore, these noble-metal-based electrocatalysts possess single catalytic activity, which would increase the complexity and cost of the overall system containing catalyst preparation and equipment design. , Consequently, it is indispensable to develop efficient bifunctional catalysts of OER/HER with low cost and long-term stability in an alkaline medium.…”

“…All the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves were measured at a scan rate of 5 mV s −1 , with infrared (IR) correction. Electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) was calculated using the formula ECSA ≈ C dl /C s (where C s = 0.040 mF cm −2 in 1.0 M KOH), and the double layer capacitance (C dl ) of all the materials was measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) with different scan rates(5,10, 20,40,60, and 80 mV s −1 ) in the non-Faradaic potential window of 1.05−1.15 (V vs RHE).…”