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ZnSe Nanorods as Visible‐Light Absorbers for Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical H 2 Evolution in Water
Author(s) -
Kuehnel Moritz F.,
Creissen Charles E.,
Sahm Constantin D.,
Wielend Dominik,
Schlosser Anja,
Orchard Katherine L.,
Reisner Erwin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201814265
Subject(s) - nanorod , photocatalysis , photocurrent , photocathode , aqueous solution , visible spectrum , materials science , quantum yield , water splitting , photochemistry , catalysis , ascorbic acid , nanotechnology , chemistry , optoelectronics , optics , electron , physics , biochemistry , food science , quantum mechanics , fluorescence
Abstract A precious‐metal‐ and Cd‐free photocatalyst system for efficient H 2 evolution from aqueous protons with a performance comparable to Cd‐based quantum dots is presented. Rod‐shaped ZnSe nanocrystals (nanorods, NRs) with a Ni(BF 4 ) 2 co‐catalyst suspended in aqueous ascorbic acid evolve H 2 with an activity up to 54±2 mmolH2 g ZnSe −1 h −1 and a quantum yield of 50±4 % ( λ =400 nm) under visible light illumination (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm −2 , λ >400 nm). Under simulated full‐spectrum solar irradiation (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm −2 ), up to 149±22 mmolH2 g ZnSe −1 h −1 is generated. Significant photocorrosion was not noticeable within 40 h and activity was even observed without an added co‐catalyst. The ZnSe NRs can also be used to construct an inexpensive delafossite CuCrO 2 photocathode, which does not rely on a sacrificial electron donor. Immobilized ZnSe NRs on CuCrO 2 generate photocurrents of around −10 μA cm −2 in an aqueous electrolyte solution (pH 5.5) with a photocurrent onset potential of approximately +0.75 V vs. RHE. This work establishes ZnSe as a state‐of‐the‐art light absorber for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical H 2 generation.