Charge Transfer and Recombination Processes at p-CuBi₂O₄ Photoelectrodes

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is an attractive method to convert solar energy to storable chemical energy in the form of hydrogen, however, the materials requirements to achieve this efficiently are challenging: the semiconducting material needs to absorb sunlight efficiently, must to be capable of reducing and/or oxidizing water, and has to be stable under illumination under current flow in an aqueous electrolyte solution. In particular, for small bandgap semiconductors, stability is often an issue, and it is difficult to fully avoid degradation of the material. In addition, the water reduction and oxidation processes need to occur fast, in order to favorably compete with recombination or surface degradation processes; hence, the kinetic rate constants for charge transfer and surface recombination are very important parameters. Intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) is a powerful technique to study the carrier dynamics in a photoelectrochemical cell. The photocurrent admittance corresponds to the frequency-dependent external quantum efficiency, and time constants for charge transfer and surface recombination can be determined, provided a simple model can be applied.1 In this presentation, we focus on the dynamic properties of p-CuBi2O4 in order to elucidate the rate determining steps that determine the efficiency of photocathodic reactions. In inert aqueous solutions at pH 5, an unfavorable balance exists between the rate constants for charge transfer and surface recombination, which limits the conversion efficiency.2 On the other hand, upon adding H2O2 as an electron acceptor, the photoelectron transfer efficiency is improved related to faster electron transfer to the solution or slower surface recombination due to passivation effects. Strategies to improve the applicability of CuBi2O4 in solar water splitting systems are discussed. The authors gratefully acknowledge CONACYT, SENER and CICY for funding through the Renewable Energy Laboratory of South East Mexico (LENERSE; Project 254667; SP-4), and CONACYT under the Basic Sciences (CB) project A1-S-28734. References “Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting at Semiconductor Electrodes: Fundamental Problems and New Perspectives”. L. M. Peter and K. G. Upul Wijayantha, ChemPhysChem, 15, 1983–1995 (2014). “Charge Transfer and Recombination Dynamics at Inkjet-Printed CuBi2O4 Electrodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting”. Ingrid Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, Rodrigo García-Rodríguez, Manuel Rodríguez-Pérez, Alberto Vega-Poot, Geonel Rodríguez Gattorno, Bruce A. Parkinson, and Gerko Oskam. J. Phys. Chem. C, 122, 27169−27179 (2018).