How do bubbles affect light absorption in photoelectrodes for solar water splitting?

Abstract

This paper aims to systematically investigate the effect of gas bubbles formation on the performance of a horizontal photoelectrode exposed to normally incident light during photoelectrochemical water splitting. The presence...

Water-Splitting Artificial Leaf Based on a Triple-Junction Silicon Solar Cell: One-Step Fabrication through Photoinduced Deposition of Catalysts and Electrochemical Operando Monitoring

“…The resulting monolithic devices were again tested for H 2 evolution in a pH 7 phosphate buffer solution being free of [Co­(WS 4 ) 2 ] 2– (Table and Figure S6). Formation of bubbles during photoelectrochemical water splitting may affect the performance of the device through an increase of the backscattering losses, thereby decreasing the photocurrent density generated . Noteworthy is that the electrolyte was continuously bubbled in our setup with Ar as the carrier gas used for gas chromatographic detection.…”

“…Formation of bubbles during photoelectrochemical water splitting may affect the performance of the device through an increase of the backscattering losses, thereby decreasing the photocurrent density generated. 31 Noteworthy is that the electrolyte was continuously bubbled in our setup with Ar as the carrier gas used for gas chromatographic detection. The resulting convection of the electrolyte was continuously detaching H 2 and O 2 bubbles, potentially adhering to the catalytic layers, therefore limiting this backscattering effect and allowing to reach a steady state in terms of performances.…”

Light transfer through bubble-filled electrolyte for solar water splitting

“…Our previous study 10 was limited to the situation when bubbles were attached to the photoelectrode surface with no additional bubbles in the electrolyte volume. Such a scenario corresponds to the onset of water splitting reaction and/or to PEC cells having horizontal photoelectrodes covered by a very thin layer of electrolyte.…”

Correlation between the Forming Sites of Hydrogen Bubbles and Micro/Nanostructures on the Electrode Surface

“…Alkaline water electrolysis is one of the promising candidates for hydrogen evolution (HE) . The importance of hydrogen bubbles in terms of HE is that, first, their presence on an electrode increases the ohmic resistance and hence deteriorates the HE efficiency, and second, a successive formation of hydrogen bubbles at a certain cite on the electrode causes a local convection (bubble-induced convection) − that, in addition to the heat-induced convection, modifies the transportation efficiency of hydrogen bubbles and dissolved hydrogen gas. , For the case of photoelectrolysis, gas bubbles results in the optical loss at a photoelectrode. , Clearly, a deeper understanding of bubble dynamics on and in the vicinity of the electrode is highly needed for high efficiency HE …”

“…4,7 For the case of photoelectrolysis, gas bubbles results in the optical loss at a photoelectrode. 8,9 Clearly, a deeper understanding of bubble dynamics on and in the vicinity of the electrode is highly needed for high efficiency HE. 1 A commonly used straightforward technique to study the bubble dynamics during conventional electrolysis or photoelectrolysis is to optically monitor the individual bubbles with a high speed camera.…”