Issue 5, 2019

Design of an amorphous TaOx multifunctional interfacial layer on photocathodes for photoelectrochemical H2 evolution

Abstract

A novel TaOx multifunctional layer which is transparent and co-catalytically active was applied to photoelectrodes for hydrogen production. We found that amorphous TaOx was in situ transformed into amorphous TaOx/Ta(OH)x in the photoelectrochemical reaction, which is a more active form for hydrogen evolution. The TaOx/Ta(OH)x multifunctional layer enhanced not only charge separation but also stability and HER kinetics when it was deposited on a p-type CuInS2 model photocathode. The new band alignment and the widened depletion region of CuInS2/TaOx were revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and IPCE analysis. The TaOx deposited CuInS2 photocathode shows a higher photocurrent at −0.3 V vs. RHE compared to CuInS2 or even Pt-decorated CuInS2. A novel multifunctional layer was successfully designed and demonstrated for photocathodes without noble metals, which can minimize the structure of photoelectrodes.

Graphical abstract: Design of an amorphous TaOx multifunctional interfacial layer on photocathodes for photoelectrochemical H2 evolution

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Nov 2018
Accepted
18 Dec 2018
First published
19 Dec 2018

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019,7, 2041-2047

Design of an amorphous TaOx multifunctional interfacial layer on photocathodes for photoelectrochemical H2 evolution

S. Y. Chae, S. Kim and O. Joo, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7, 2041 DOI: 10.1039/C8TA10738F

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