Abstract
Heterojunction photoanodes, consisting of n-type crystalline Si(100) substrates coated with a thin ∼50 nm film of cobalt oxide fabricated using atomic-layer deposition (ALD), exhibited photocurrent-onset potentials of -205 ± 20 mV relative to the formal potential for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER), ideal regenerative solar-to-O2(g) conversion efficiencies of 1.42 ± 0.20%, and operated continuously for over 100 days (∼2500 h) in 1.0 M KOH(aq) under simulated solar illumination. The ALD CoOx thin film: (i) formed a heterojunction with the n-Si(100) that provided a photovoltage of 575 mV under 1 Sun of simulated solar illumination; (ii) stabilized Si photoanodes that are otherwise unstable when operated in aqueous alkaline electrolytes; and, (iii) catalyzed the oxidation of water, thereby reducing the kinetic overpotential required for the reaction and increasing the overall efficiency relative to electrodes that do not have an inherently electrocatalytic coating. The process provides a simple, effective method for enabling the use of planar n-Si(100) substrates as efficient and durable photoanodes in fully integrated, photovoltaic-biased solar fuels generators.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 892-897 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Energy and Environmental Science |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 1 2016 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Environmental Chemistry
- Pollution
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
Cite this
570 mV photovoltage, stabilized n-Si/CoOx heterojunction photoanodes fabricated using atomic layer deposition. / Zhou, Xinghao; Liu, Rui; Sun, Ke; Papadantonakis, Kimberly M.; Brunschwig, Bruce S.; Lewis, Nathan S.
In: Energy and Environmental Science, Vol. 9, No. 3, 01.03.2016, p. 892-897.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - 570 mV photovoltage, stabilized n-Si/CoOx heterojunction photoanodes fabricated using atomic layer deposition
AU - Zhou, Xinghao
AU - Liu, Rui
AU - Sun, Ke
AU - Papadantonakis, Kimberly M.
AU - Brunschwig, Bruce S.
AU - Lewis, Nathan S
PY - 2016/3/1
Y1 - 2016/3/1
N2 - Heterojunction photoanodes, consisting of n-type crystalline Si(100) substrates coated with a thin ∼50 nm film of cobalt oxide fabricated using atomic-layer deposition (ALD), exhibited photocurrent-onset potentials of -205 ± 20 mV relative to the formal potential for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER), ideal regenerative solar-to-O2(g) conversion efficiencies of 1.42 ± 0.20%, and operated continuously for over 100 days (∼2500 h) in 1.0 M KOH(aq) under simulated solar illumination. The ALD CoOx thin film: (i) formed a heterojunction with the n-Si(100) that provided a photovoltage of 575 mV under 1 Sun of simulated solar illumination; (ii) stabilized Si photoanodes that are otherwise unstable when operated in aqueous alkaline electrolytes; and, (iii) catalyzed the oxidation of water, thereby reducing the kinetic overpotential required for the reaction and increasing the overall efficiency relative to electrodes that do not have an inherently electrocatalytic coating. The process provides a simple, effective method for enabling the use of planar n-Si(100) substrates as efficient and durable photoanodes in fully integrated, photovoltaic-biased solar fuels generators.
AB - Heterojunction photoanodes, consisting of n-type crystalline Si(100) substrates coated with a thin ∼50 nm film of cobalt oxide fabricated using atomic-layer deposition (ALD), exhibited photocurrent-onset potentials of -205 ± 20 mV relative to the formal potential for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER), ideal regenerative solar-to-O2(g) conversion efficiencies of 1.42 ± 0.20%, and operated continuously for over 100 days (∼2500 h) in 1.0 M KOH(aq) under simulated solar illumination. The ALD CoOx thin film: (i) formed a heterojunction with the n-Si(100) that provided a photovoltage of 575 mV under 1 Sun of simulated solar illumination; (ii) stabilized Si photoanodes that are otherwise unstable when operated in aqueous alkaline electrolytes; and, (iii) catalyzed the oxidation of water, thereby reducing the kinetic overpotential required for the reaction and increasing the overall efficiency relative to electrodes that do not have an inherently electrocatalytic coating. The process provides a simple, effective method for enabling the use of planar n-Si(100) substrates as efficient and durable photoanodes in fully integrated, photovoltaic-biased solar fuels generators.
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U2 - 10.1039/c5ee03655k
DO - 10.1039/c5ee03655k
M3 - Article
VL - 9
SP - 892
EP - 897
JO - Energy and Environmental Science
JF - Energy and Environmental Science
SN - 1754-5692
IS - 3
ER -