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Designing Active and Stable Silicon Photocathodes for Solar Hydrogen Production Using Molybdenum Sulfide Nanomaterials
Author(s) -
Benck Jesse D.,
Lee Sang Chul,
Fong Kara D.,
Kibsgaard Jakob,
Sinclair Robert,
Jaramillo Thomas F.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201400739
Subject(s) - photocathode , materials science , nanomaterials , silicon , water splitting , catalysis , hydrogen production , sulfide , nanotechnology , atomic layer deposition , molybdenum , layer (electronics) , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , photocatalysis , chemistry , metallurgy , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , electron
Silicon is a promising photocathode for tandem photoelectrochemical water splitting devices, but efficient catalysis and long term stability remain key challenges. Here, it is demonstrated that with appropriately engineered interfaces, molybdenum sulfide nanomaterials can provide both corrosion protection and catalytic activity in silicon photocathodes. Using a thin MoS 2 surface protecting layer, MoS 2 ‐n + p Si electrodes that show no loss in performance after 100 h of operation are created. Transmission electron microscopy measurements show the atomic structure of the device surface and reveal the characteristics of the MoS 2 layer that provide both catalytic activity and excellent stability. In spite of a low concentration of exposed catalytically active sites, these electrodes possess the best performance of any precious metal‐free silicon photocathodes with demonstrated long term stability to date. To further improve efficiency, a second molybdenum sulfide nanomaterial, highly catalytically active [Mo 3 S 13 ] 2− clusters, is incorporated. These photocathodes offer a promising pathway towards sustainable hydrogen production.