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Stable Hydrogen Production from Water on an NIR‐Responsive Photocathode under Harsh Conditions
Author(s) -
Kaneko Hiroyuki,
Minegishi Tsutomu,
Higashi Tomohiro,
Nakabayashi Mamiko,
Shibata Naoya,
Domen Kazunari
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small methods
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.66
H-Index - 46
ISSN - 2366-9608
DOI - 10.1002/smtd.201800018
Subject(s) - photocathode , materials science , electrolyte , hydrogen , hydrogen production , water splitting , fabrication , optoelectronics , catalysis , chemical engineering , chemistry , electron , electrode , photocatalysis , physics , medicine , biochemistry , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , pathology , engineering
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting using a cell composed of a photocathode and photoanode is an attractive approach to producing hydrogen utilizing solar energy. Photocathodes based on nonoxide materials exhibit high solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiencies thanks to their narrow bandgaps. However, the corrosion of photocathode surfaces at oxidative potentials and under highly alkaline conditions has resulted in insufficient durability. Here, the PEC properties of near‐infrared‐sensitive (ZnSe) 0.85 (CuIn 0.7 Ga 0.3 Se 2 ) 0.15 ‐based photocathodes coated with a RuO 2 nanolayer using a photo‐electrodeposition method are investigated under harsh conditions. A RuO 2 ‐coated (ZnSe) 0.85 (CuIn 0.7 Ga 0.3 Se 2 ) 0.15 photocathode exhibits no degradation during the PEC hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at 0.6 V RHE for longer than 10 h in electrolytes having pH values of 7 or 13. Maximum photocurrents of 9.1 and 2.9 mA cm −2 are obtained at 0 and 0.6 V RHE , respectively, under simulated sunlight without the use of any other HER catalyst or a conductor layer. This study therefore demonstrates a useful method for the fabrication of efficient, durable PEC cells using nonoxide photocathodes.