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Hole‐Transfer‐Layer Modification of Quantum Dot‐Sensitized Photocathodes for Dramatically Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution
Author(s) -
Wen Min,
Wu HaoLin,
Li XuBing,
Chen Bin,
Tung ChenHo,
Wu LiZhu
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
particle and particle systems characterization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.877
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-4117
pISSN - 0934-0866
DOI - 10.1002/ppsc.201700278
Subject(s) - photocathode , photocurrent , quantum dot , non blocking i/o , materials science , artificial photosynthesis , water splitting , nanotechnology , energy conversion efficiency , optoelectronics , electron transfer , layer (electronics) , chemical engineering , photochemistry , chemistry , photocatalysis , catalysis , electron , physics , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering
Abstract Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting involving a sensitized photocathode has emerged as an extremely promising pathway for achieving solar‐to‐fuel conversion. Here it is reported that merely by modulating the morphology of hole‐transfer layer of NiO film to give a regular porous structure, the PEC performance of quantum dots (QDs) sensitized photocathodes can be dramatically enhanced. Mechanistic insights reveal that the porous structure not only increases the loading amount of QDs for enhanced light capture, but also facilitates the process of interfacial hole transfer and migration, which enable a 2.6‐fold enhancement of PEC performance to a photocurrent of ≈136 μA cm −2 . The strategy introduced here provides an effective and facile pathway for further improving the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis.