TY - JOUR
T1 - Integration of electrocatalysts with silicon microcone arrays for minimization of optical and overpotential losses during sunlight-driven hydrogen evolution
AU - Yalamanchili, Sisir
AU - Kempler, Paul A.
AU - Papadantonakis, Kimberly M.
AU - Atwater, Harry A.
AU - Lewis, Nathan S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This material is based upon work performed by the Joint Center for Articial Photosynthesis, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, as follows: electrochemical measurements for all devices, and fabrication of p-Si/Co–P devices was supported through the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Award No. DE-SC0004993; the development and fabrication of p-Si and n+p-Si/Pt m-cone arrays and reection measurements were supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under NSF CA No. EEC-1041895. Additional support for this work was provided by the Lockheed Martin Corporation (Award 4103810021). Fabrication of Si m-cones was performed in the Kavli Nanoscience Institute (KNI) at Caltech, and we thank the KNI staff for their assistance during fabrication.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Microstructured photoelectrode morphologies can advantageously facilitate integration of optically absorbing electrocatalysts with semiconducting light absorbers, to maintain low overpotentials for fuel production without producing a substantial loss in photocurrent density. We report herein the use of arrays of antireflective, high-aspect-ratio Si microcones (μ-cones), coupled with light-blocking Pt and Co-P catalysts, as photocathodes for H2 evolution. Thick (∼16 nm) layers of Pt or Co-P deposited onto Si μ-cone arrays yielded absolute light-limited photocurrent densities of ∼32 mA cm-2, representing a reduction in light-limited photocurrent density of 6% relative to bare Si μ-cone-array photocathodes, while maintaining high fill factors and low overpotentials for H2 production from 0.50 M H2SO4(aq). The Si μ-cone arrays were embedded in a flexible polymeric membrane and removed from the Si substrate, to yield flexible photocathodes consisting of polymer-embedded arrays of free-standing μ-cones that evolved hydrogen from 0.50 M H2SO4(aq).
AB - Microstructured photoelectrode morphologies can advantageously facilitate integration of optically absorbing electrocatalysts with semiconducting light absorbers, to maintain low overpotentials for fuel production without producing a substantial loss in photocurrent density. We report herein the use of arrays of antireflective, high-aspect-ratio Si microcones (μ-cones), coupled with light-blocking Pt and Co-P catalysts, as photocathodes for H2 evolution. Thick (∼16 nm) layers of Pt or Co-P deposited onto Si μ-cone arrays yielded absolute light-limited photocurrent densities of ∼32 mA cm-2, representing a reduction in light-limited photocurrent density of 6% relative to bare Si μ-cone-array photocathodes, while maintaining high fill factors and low overpotentials for H2 production from 0.50 M H2SO4(aq). The Si μ-cone arrays were embedded in a flexible polymeric membrane and removed from the Si substrate, to yield flexible photocathodes consisting of polymer-embedded arrays of free-standing μ-cones that evolved hydrogen from 0.50 M H2SO4(aq).
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U2 - 10.1039/c9se00294d
DO - 10.1039/c9se00294d
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85071046463
VL - 3
SP - 2217
EP - 2236
JO - Sustainable Energy and Fuels
JF - Sustainable Energy and Fuels
SN - 2398-4902
IS - 9
ER -