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Heterostructure of Si and CoSe 2 : A Promising Photocathode Based on a Non‐noble Metal Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution
Author(s) -
Basu Mrinmoyee,
Zhang ZhiWei,
Chen ChihJung,
Chen PoTzu,
Yang KaiChih,
Ma ChongGeng,
Lin Chun Che,
Hu ShuFen,
Liu RuShi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201502573
Subject(s) - photocathode , water splitting , noble metal , hydrogen production , heterojunction , dielectric spectroscopy , catalysis , materials science , hydrogen , electrolyte , photocurrent , electrochemistry , chemical engineering , reversible hydrogen electrode , chemistry , electrode , photocatalysis , optoelectronics , working electrode , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , electron , engineering
Development of a solar water splitting device requires design of a low‐cost, efficient, and non‐noble metal compound as alternative to noble metals. For the first time, we showed that CoSe 2 can function as co‐catalyst in phototoelectrochemical hydrogen production. We designed a heterostructure of p‐Si and marcasite‐type CoSe 2 for solar‐driven hydrogen production. CoSe 2 successively coupled with p‐Si can act as a superior photocathode in the solar‐driven water splitting reaction. Photocurrents up to 9 mA cm −2 were achieved at 0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the high photocurrents can be attributed to low charge transfer resistance between the Si and CoSe 2 interfaces and that between the CoSe 2 and electrolyte interfaces. Our results suggest that this CoSe 2 is a promising alternative co‐catalyst for hydrogen evolution.