Metal-encapsulated organolead halide perovskite photocathode for solar-driven hydrogen evolution in water

Abstract

Lead-halide perovskites have triggered the latest breakthrough in photovoltaic technology. Despite the great promise shown by these materials, their instability towards water even in the presence of low amounts of moisture makes them, a priori, unsuitable for their direct use as light harvesters in aqueous solution for the production of hydrogen through water splitting. Here, we present a simple method that enables their use in photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen evolution while immersed in an aqueous solution. Field's metal, a fusible InBiSn alloy, is used to efficiently protect the perovskite from water while simultaneously allowing the photogenerated electrons to reach a Pt hydrogen evolution catalyst. A record photocurrent density of −9.8 mA cm−2 at 0 V versus RHE with an onset potential as positive as 0.95±0.03 V versus RHE is obtained. The photoelectrodes show remarkable stability retaining more than 80% of their initial photocurrent for ∼1 h under continuous illumination.

A 1300 mm2 Ultrahigh‐Performance Digital Imaging Assembly using High‐Quality Perovskite Single Crystals

“…As a superstar material for solar cell applications, the perovskite CH 3 NH 3 PbX 3 (MAPbX 3 , X = Cl, Br, I) is also being recognized as a wonder material for optoelectronic applications such as light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), field‐effect transistors (FETs), lasers, photosensors, phototransistors, and photoelectrochemical cells, due to its superior quality in high absorption coefficient, long electron–hole diffusion length, high carrier mobility, low laser excitation threshold, high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), etc . Compared with the multicrystalline films, perovskite single crystals show ever better intrinsic properties.…”

Halide perovskite nanotube toward energy applications: A first‐principles investigation

“…Apart from solar cell applications, the halide perovskite materials have been identified to be suitable candidates for many other energy systems . For example, they exhibit good ion diffusion properties and lithium storage performance, which could be utilized for energy storage systems such as lithium‐ion battery and lithium‐sulfur battery.…”

Piezotronics in Photo‐Electrochemistry

“…For a photo‐electrochemical (PEC) system, the energy discontinuity is provided by interfacing a semiconductor with an electrolyte, and thereby allowing replacement of the sophisticated p–n junction with a single semiconductor as the electrode material . Nonetheless, placing the semiconductor into electrolyte gives rise to a substantial stability concern, particularly concentrated acidic or basic corrosive electrolytes are commonly used to facilitate the PEC kinetics . Among many semiconductor PEC candidates, wide‐bandgap oxides (e.g., titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), tungsten oxide (WO 3 ), and bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO 4 )) are advantageous in terms of operational stability owing to their inert chemical nature .…”