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Unbiased Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting in Z‐Scheme Device Using W/Mo‐Doped BiVO 4 and Zn x Cd 1− x Se
Author(s) -
Park Hyun S.,
Lee Heung Chan,
Leonard Kevin C.,
Liu Guanjie,
Bard Allen J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201201044
Subject(s) - water splitting , bismuth vanadate , photoelectrochemical cell , semiconductor , electrochemistry , doping , oxide , analytical chemistry (journal) , chalcogenide , materials science , electrode , photoelectrochemistry , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , optoelectronics , photocatalysis , biochemistry , chromatography , electrolyte , metallurgy , catalysis
Photoelectrochemical water splitting to generate H 2 and O 2 using only photon energy (with no added electrical energy) has been demonstrated with dual n‐type‐semiconductor (or Z‐scheme) systems. Here we investigated two different Z‐scheme systems; one is comprised of two cells with the same metal‐oxide semiconductor (W‐ and Mo‐doped bismuth vanadate), that is, Pt‐W/Mo‐BiVO 4 , and the other is comprised of the metal oxide and a chalcogenide semiconductor, that is, Pt‐W/Mo‐BiVO 4 and Zn 0.2 Cd 0.8 Se. The redox couples utilized in these Z‐scheme configurations were I − /IO 3 − or S 2− /S n 2− , respectively. An electrochemical analysis of the system in terms of cell components is shown to illustrate the behavior of the complete photoelectrochemical Z‐scheme water‐splitting system. H 2 gas from the unbiased photolysis of water was detected using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy and using a membrane‐electrode assembly. The electrode configuration to achieve the maximum conversion efficiency from solar energy to chemical energy with the given materials and the Z‐scheme is discussed. Here, the possibilities and challenges of Z‐scheme unbiased photoelectrochemical water‐splitting devices and the materials to achieve practical solar‐fuel generation are discussed.