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Solar Water Splitting with a Hydrogenase Integrated in Photoelectrochemical Tandem Cells
Author(s) -
Nam Dong Heon,
Zhang Jenny Z.,
Andrei Virgil,
Kornienko Nikolay,
Heidary Nina,
Wagner Andreas,
Nakanishi Kenichi,
Sokol Katarzyna P.,
Slater Barnaby,
Zebger Ingo,
Hofmann Stephan,
FontecillaCamps Juan C.,
Park Chan Beum,
Reisner Erwin
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201805027
Subject(s) - photocathode , water splitting , materials science , optoelectronics , tandem , silicon , photosystem ii , photochemistry , substrate (aquarium) , photoelectrochemical cell , nanotechnology , catalysis , chemistry , photocatalysis , physics , photosynthesis , biochemistry , electrode , quantum mechanics , electron , oceanography , electrolyte , composite material , geology
Hydrogenases (H 2 ases) are benchmark electrocatalysts for H 2 production, both in biology and (photo)catalysis in vitro. We report the tailoring of a p‐type Si photocathode for optimal loading and wiring of H 2 ase through the introduction of a hierarchical inverse opal (IO) TiO 2 interlayer. This proton‐reducing Si|IO‐TiO 2 |H 2 ase photocathode is capable of driving overall water splitting in combination with a photoanode. We demonstrate unassisted (bias‐free) water splitting by wiring Si|IO‐TiO 2 |H 2 ase to a modified BiVO 4 photoanode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell during several hours of irradiation. Connecting the Si|IO‐TiO 2 |H 2 ase to a photosystem II (PSII) photoanode provides proof of concept for an engineered Z‐scheme that replaces the non‐complementary, natural light absorber photosystem I with a complementary abiotic silicon photocathode.