Powering the planet with solar fuel

Gray, Harry B.

doi:10.1038/nchem.141

Cited by 1,557 publications

(940 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Hydrogen is considered as an ideal energy carrier to meet these challenges since it is clean, renewable, carbon‐free, and has a high energy density. Photo‐electrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production by water splitting stockpiles solar energy into chemical bonds and is thus considered as a key technology of the future, attracting widespread attention 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient Water Splitting Cascade Photoanodes with Ligand‐Engineered MnO Cocatalysts

et al. 2018

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The band edge positions of semiconductors determine functionality in solar water splitting. While ligand exchange is known to enable modification of the band structure, its crucial role in water splitting efficiency is not yet fully understood. Here, ligand‐engineered manganese oxide cocatalyst nanoparticles (MnO NPs) on bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) anodes are first demonstrated, and a remarkably enhanced photocurrent density of 6.25 mA cm−2 is achieved. It is close to 85% of the theoretical photocurrent density (≈7.5 mA cm−2) of BiVO4. Improved photoactivity is closely related to the substantial shifts in band edge energies that originate from both the induced dipole at the ligand/MnO interface and the intrinsic dipole of the ligand. Combined spectroscopic analysis and electrochemical study reveal the clear relationship between the surface modification and the band edge positions for water oxidation. The proposed concept has considerable potential to explore new, efficient solar water splitting systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient Water Splitting Cascade Photoanodes with Ligand‐Engineered MnO Cocatalysts

et al. 2018

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“…Electrochemical or photoelectrochemical water splitting represents one of the most promising methods to store electrical or photo energy in chemical bonds, with minimum carbon footprint in the environment 1, 2, 3, 4. One of the most critical steps of water splitting is the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), 4 OH − + energy → O 2 + 2 H 2 O + 4 e − , which is a multistep four‐electron process and thus kinetically sluggish 5.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bio‐Inspired Leaf‐Mimicking Nanosheet/Nanotube Heterostructure as a Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Catalyst

et al. 2015

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Plant leaves represent a unique 2D/1D heterostructure for enhanced surface reaction and efficient mass transport. Inspired by plant leaves, a 2D/1D CoOx heterostructure is developed that is composed of ultrathin CoOx nanosheets further assembled into a nanotube structure. This bio‐inspired architecture allows a highly active Co2+ electronic structure for an efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the atomic scale, ultrahigh surface area (371 m2 g−1) for interfacial electrochemical reaction at the nanoscale, and enhanced transport of charge and electrolyte over CoOx nanotube building blocks at the microscale. Consequently, this CoOx nanosheet/nanotube heterostructure demonstrates a record‐high OER performance based on cobalt compounds reported so far, with an onset potential of ≈1.46 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), a current density of 51.2 mA cm−2 at 1.65 V versus RHE, and a Tafel slope of 75 mV dec−1. Using the CoOx nanosheet/nanotube catalyst and a Pt‐mesh, a full water splitting cell with a 1.5‐V battery is also demonstrated.

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“…1,2 For example, water electrolysis relies on the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER), which in acidic solutions involves the electrocatalytic reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen. 3 Pt is an exceptional HER electrocatalyst, producing large cathodic current densities at low overpotentials.…”

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confidence: 99%

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution using amorphous tungsten phosphide nanoparticles

et al. 2014

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Amorphous tungsten phosphide (WP), which has been synthesized as colloidal nanoparticles with an average diameter of 3 nm, has been identified as a new electrocatalyst for the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) in acidic aqueous solutions. WP/Ti electrodes produced current densities of À10 mA cm À2 and À20 mA cm À2 at overpotentials of only À120 mV and À140 mV, respectively, in 0.50 M H 2 SO 4 (aq).Despite its scarcity and high cost, platinum is one of the most widely used catalysts for chemical reactions that underpin many clean energy technologies, including fuel cells and solar fuel generators. 1,2 For example, water electrolysis relies on the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER), which in acidic solutions involves the electrocatalytic reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen. 3 Pt is an exceptional HER electrocatalyst, producing large cathodic current densities at low overpotentials. 3,4 Recently, several new acid-stable HER electrocatalysts have been identified as less expensive and more Earth-abundant alternatives to Pt, including MoS 2 , 5,6 CoSe 2 , 7 Co 0.6 Mo 1.4 N 2 , 8 Ni 2 P, 9,10 CoP, 11,12 and MoP. 13 Each of these systems represents an important development in the search for non-noble-metal HER electrocatalysts, which is important for global scalability where cost and performance must both be considered. Each unique catalyst offers a distinct combination of structure, composition, and properties that collectively can provide useful insights for predicting new catalytic materials and for beginning to interrogate the mechanisms by which they function.We report herein the colloidal synthesis of uniform amorphous tungsten phosphide (WP) nanoparticles with average diameters of 3 nm that remain amorphous upon heating beyond 450 1C. The amorphous tungsten phosphide nanoparticles are also active and acid-stable HER electrocatalysts, representing a new addition to the growing library of nonnoble-metal materials that catalyze the HER. These WP nanoparticles add to an important family of known tungsten-based HER catalysts as well, including WS 2 , 14 WC, 15 and W 2 N. 16 Interestingly, WP is also a known hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalyst. 17 HDS and HER are distinct catalytic processes, but the reversible binding and dissociation of H 2 represents a possible mechanistic commonality. 3,18,19 The discovery that WP catalyzes the HER further strengthens the hypothesis that known HDS catalysts offer viable targets for active HER catalysts.To synthesize the amorphous WP nanoparticles, W(CO) 6 and trioctylphosphine (TOP) were heated to 320 1C for 2 h in squalane. (See ESI † for complete experimental details. Caution: This reaction should be considered to be highly flammable and corrosive, as it has the potential to liberate phosphorus, which is highly pyrophoric. Therefore, it should only be carried out under rigorously air-free conditions by appropriately trained personnel.) Fig. 1a and Fig. S1 (ESI †) show a transmission-electron microscopy (TEM) image of the isolated product, which formed quasi-spherical parti...

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Powering the planet with solar fuel

Cited by 1,557 publications

References 7 publications

Efficient Water Splitting Cascade Photoanodes with Ligand‐Engineered MnO Cocatalysts

Efficient Water Splitting Cascade Photoanodes with Ligand‐Engineered MnO Cocatalysts

Bio‐Inspired Leaf‐Mimicking Nanosheet/Nanotube Heterostructure as a Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Catalyst

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution using amorphous tungsten phosphide nanoparticles

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