Challenges and prospects about the graphene role in the design of photoelectrodes for sunlight-driven water splitting

Abstract

Graphene and its derivatives have emerged as potential materials for several technological application including sunlight-driven water splitting reactions.

Polymer Photoelectrodes for Solar Fuel Production: Progress and Challenges

“…The progress of OPV, the limitations of inorganic metal oxides, and the urgent need for sustainable fuels have triggered the reconsideration of a wide range of materials for solar-driven catalysis, including polymer photoelectrodes. Recently, the fabrication of polymer photocathodes using CN x , covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), conjugated triazine frameworks (CTFs), and graphene have been explored for solar fuel synthesis. Notably, tuning the optical and catalytic properties by altering the synthesis conditions dramatically enhanced the PEC performances .…”

Recent Advances in TiO2‐based Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

“…Graphene‐TiO 2 heterojunction . Heterostructures of TiO 2 /graphene nanocomposites are also widely investigated for PEC applications [147–149] . The charge transfer is shown in Figure 12c.…”

“…Heterostructures of TiO 2 / graphene nanocomposites are also widely investigated for PEC applications. [147][148][149] The charge transfer is shown in Figure 12c. Benefiting from the unique 2D structure and chemical properties of graphene, graphene and its derivatives (such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO)), act as electron transfer channel and increases the carrier transport and electron collection efficiency by forming a Schottky junction between TiO 2 and graphene or its derivatives.…”

TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Decorated with Reduced Graphene Oxide and Cu–Tetracyanoquinodimethane as Anode Materials for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

“…In general, GO is an insulator, and after the reduction of surface functional groups, it can act as a good semiconductor or conductor . Particularly, r-GO has gained great interest in the field of photocatalysis and PEC water splitting due to its characteristic atomically thick two-dimensional (2D) structure and excellent physical and chemical properties. ,,, r-GO can act as an electron shuttle when combined with semiconducting materials (e.g., TiO 2 , BiVO 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , and Ta 3 N 5 ), which enhances the transfer of photogenerated electrons from the conduction band (CB) of a semiconductor to r-GO, due to its higher work function. , Therefore, the photogenerated electron–hole pair recombination was diminished by r-GO, which eventually promotes the efficient charge separation and transfer to the electrolyte for OER …”

“…29,30,33,34 r-GO can act as an electron shuttle when combined with semiconducting materials (e.g., TiO 2 , BiVO 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , and Ta 3 N 5 ), which enhances the transfer of photogenerated electrons from the conduction band (CB) of a semiconductor to r-GO, due to its higher work function. 35,36 Therefore, the photogenerated electron−hole pair recombination was diminished by r-GO, which eventually promotes the efficient charge separation and transfer to the electrolyte for OER. 37 In general, to boost the kinetics of surface reaction, the cocatalysts for OER have been introduced on the surface of the photoanode to deliver more active sites with decreased kinetic barriers.…”