Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production by Screen-Printed Copper Oxide Electrodes

Abstract

In this work, copper oxides-based photocathodes for photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) were produced for the first time by screen printing. A total 7 × 10−3 g/m2 glycerine trioleate was found as optimum deflocculant amount to assure stable and homogeneous inks, based on CuO nano-powder. The inks were formulated considering different binder amounts and deposited producing films with homogenous thickness, microstructure, and roughness. The as-produced films were thermally treated to obtain Cu2O- and Cu2O/CuO-based electrodes. The increased porosity obtained by adding higher amounts of binder in the ink positively affected the electron transfer from the surface of the electrode to the electrolyte, thus increasing the corresponding photocurrent values. Moreover, the Cu2O/CuO system showed a higher charge carrier and photocurrent density than the Cu2O-based one. The mixed Cu2O/CuO films allowed the most significant hydrogen production, especially in slightly acid reaction conditions.

Exploring the Role of the Connection Length of Screen-Printed Electrodes towards the Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions

“…There are many electrocatalysts that are reported for enhancing the HER and OER [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Numerous papers utilize solid electrodes such as glassy carbon [ 7 ], boron-doped diamond [ 8 ], nickel foam [ 5 ], and screen-printed electrodes to “electrically wire” their electrocatalysts [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are manufactured using well-known industrial printers by depositing a combination of layers onto a flat substrate which offers versatility in terms of electrode design, material compatibility, modifications with electrocatalysts, but yet offers highly economical, mass-producible and highly reproducible sensors [ 20 ].…”

“…This “electrically wires” the potentiostat system, allowing the user to test their electrochemical and electrocatalytic performance towards the HER and OER. In the academic literature, many different electrodes are utilized, with SPEs being a main feature due to their low-cost, yet highly reproducible nature; there are many papers that utilize SPEs for hosting their catalysts [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 22 ]. Note that it is known in the electrochemistry community that the length of the connection cables can add more resistance to the electrochemical system, which ultimately affects the overpotentials.…”

Interface Engineering of CoFe-LDH Modified Ti: α-Fe2O3 Photoanode for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

“…Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has attracted considerable attention owing to the urgent requirement for sustainable and clean hydrogen energy. This technology holds the potential to effectively tackle the economic and environmental challenges associated with fossil fuels [ 1 , 2 ]. The process of PEC water splitting, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, involves a complex multi-electron reaction, driven by the generation of electron–hole pairs within a semiconductor catalyst under light irradiation.…”

Correlation between the Experimental and Theoretical Photoelectrochemical Response of a WO3 Electrode for Efficient Water Splitting through the Implementation of an Artificial Neural Network

“…Therefore, the big challenge remains to increase the charge separation and facilitate carrier mobility to obtain a better carrier collection efficiency. In this context, several studies have extensively focused on metal oxide semiconductors, such as TiO 2 [3], ZnO [4], Fe 2 O 3 [5], BiVO 4 [6], Cu 2 O [7], and WO 3 [8], as photoelectrodes in the PEC system. Among these metal oxides, tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) brings new opportunities for developing a PEC water splitting system with a superior performance [2].…”