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Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
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Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 15756

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Stefano Trocino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Italian National Research Council, Advanced Energy Technology Institute “Nicola Giordano”, CNR-ITAE, Messina, Italy
Interests: photoelectrolysis; PEM electrolysis; alkaline electrolysis; water splitting; green hydrogen; renewable energy; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is an increasing interest in research into the utilization of solar energy available on our planet. The conversion of solar radiation, as well as the production of electricity from sunlight using photovoltaic devices, into a storable and transportable energetic vector can maximize the efficiency of use. Since Fujishima and Honda proved the photolysis of water using a titanium dioxide photo-anode and a platinum cathode, producing hydrogen fuel from photo-electro-chemical water splitting has emerged as a sustainable alternative to traditional hydrogen production from fossil fuels. Several attempts have been made to produce hydrogen from water electrolysis, using different materials and approaches, including the addition of catalysts on the semiconductor to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction. However, creating a low-cost high-efficiency system capable of competing with the traditional fossil fuel production system remains a challenge. This Special Issue deals with the design, preparation, and realization of high-performance photoelectrolysis cells using novel semiconductors, catalysts, approaches, and their possible integrations in efficient panels. 

Dr. Stefano Trocino
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Water splitting
  • Photoelectrolysis
  • Photoelectrochemical
  • Hydrogen
  • Green energy
  • Fuel production
  • Semiconductor
  • Catalyst
  • Solar energy
  • Low-cost high-efficiency systems
  • Surface promoters
  • Photo-anode
  • Photo-cathode

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 32004 KiB  
Article
Study of the Photoelectrochemical Properties of 1D ZnO Based Nanocomposites
by Bekbolat Seitov, Sherzod Kurbanbekov, Dina Bakranova, Nuriya Abdyldayeva and Nurlan Bakranov
Catalysts 2021, 11(10), 1235; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11101235 - 13 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2143
Abstract
Exploitation of common elements as photocatalysts for conversion of photons to electricity stimulates the development of a green energy strategy. In this paper, methods for the preparation of active coatings based on ZnO/Ag/CdS, which are used in the photocatalytic oxidation reaction, are examined. [...] Read more.
Exploitation of common elements as photocatalysts for conversion of photons to electricity stimulates the development of a green energy strategy. In this paper, methods for the preparation of active coatings based on ZnO/Ag/CdS, which are used in the photocatalytic oxidation reaction, are examined. The physical and chemical properties of the resulting arrays were studied using optical spectrometers, an electron microscope, an X-ray diffractometer, and potentiostatic measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The effectiveness of photocatalysts was calculated by the ability to liberate gas from aqueous solutions when exposed to light. The rate of degradation was indirectly measured with a conductometer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting)
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17 pages, 3787 KiB  
Article
Nanoscale Assembly of BiVO4/CdS/CoOx Core–Shell Heterojunction for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
by Hana Kmentova, Olivier Henrotte, Rambabu Yalavarthi, Mareike Haensch, Christian Heinemann, Radek Zbořil, Patrik Schmuki, Štěpán Kment and Alberto Naldoni
Catalysts 2021, 11(6), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11060682 - 28 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4734
Abstract
Porous BiVO4 electrodes were conformally decorated with CdS via a chemical bath deposition process. The highest photocurrent at 1.1 V vs. RHE was achieved for a BiVO4/CdS composite (4.54 mA cm−2), compared with CdS (1.19 mA cm−2 [...] Read more.
Porous BiVO4 electrodes were conformally decorated with CdS via a chemical bath deposition process. The highest photocurrent at 1.1 V vs. RHE was achieved for a BiVO4/CdS composite (4.54 mA cm−2), compared with CdS (1.19 mA cm−2) and bare BiVO4 (2.1 mA cm−2), under AM 1.5G illumination. This improvement in the photoefficiency can be ascribed to both the enhanced optical absorption properties and the charge separation due to the heterojunction formation between BiVO4 and CdS. Furthermore, the BiVO4/CdS photoanode was protected with a CoOx layer to substantially increase the photostability of the material. The new BiVO4/CdS/CoOx nanostructure exhibited a highly stable photocurrent density of ~5 mA cm−2. The capability to produce O2 was locally investigated by scanning photoelectrochemical microscope, which showed a good agreement between photocurrent and O2 reduction current maps. This work develops an efficient route to improve the photo-electrochemical performance of BiVO4 and its long-term stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting)
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15 pages, 2567 KiB  
Article
Surface-Modified Ta3N5 Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells
by Tomohiro Higashi, Yutaka Sasaki, Yudai Kawase, Hiroshi Nishiyama, Masao Katayama, Kazuhiro Takanabe and Kazunari Domen
Catalysts 2021, 11(5), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11050584 - 30 Apr 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3901
Abstract
The development of visible-light-responsive semiconductor-based photoelectrodes is a prerequisite for the construction of efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells for solar water splitting. Surface modification with an electrocatalyst on the photoelectrode is effective for maximizing the water splitting efficiency of the PEC cell. Herein, we [...] Read more.
The development of visible-light-responsive semiconductor-based photoelectrodes is a prerequisite for the construction of efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells for solar water splitting. Surface modification with an electrocatalyst on the photoelectrode is effective for maximizing the water splitting efficiency of the PEC cell. Herein, we investigate the effects of surface modification of Ta3N5 photoanodes with electrocatalysts consisting of Ni, Fe, and Co oxides, and their mixture, on the PEC oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Among the investigated samples, NiFeOx-modified Ta3N5 (NiFeOx/Ta3N5) photoanodes showed the lowest onset potential for OER. A PEC cell with a parallel configuration consisting of a NiFeOx/Ta3N5 photoanode and an Al-doped La5Ti2Cu0.9Ag0.1S5O7 (LTCA:Al) photocathode exhibited stoichiometric hydrogen and oxygen generation from water splitting, without any external bias voltage. The solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency (STH) of this cell for water splitting was found to be 0.2% at 1 min after the start of the reaction. In addition, water splitting by a PEC cell with a tandem configuration incorporating a NiFeOx/Ta3N5 transparent photoanode prepared on a quartz insulating substrate as a front-side electrode and a LTCA:Al photocathode as a back side electrode was demonstrated, and the STH was found to be 0.04% at the initial stage of the reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting)
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23 pages, 4443 KiB  
Article
Dry Hydrogen Production in a Tandem Critical Raw Material-Free Water Photoelectrolysis Cell Using a Hydrophobic Gas-Diffusion Backing Layer
by Stefano Trocino, Carmelo Lo Vecchio, Sabrina Campagna Zignani, Alessandra Carbone, Ada Saccà, Vincenzo Baglio, Roberto Gómez and Antonino Salvatore Aricò
Catalysts 2020, 10(11), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10111319 - 13 Nov 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3964
Abstract
A photoelectrochemical tandem cell (PEC) based on a cathodic hydrophobic gas-diffusion backing layer was developed to produce dry hydrogen from solar driven water splitting. The cell consisted of low cost and non-critical raw materials (CRMs). A relatively high-energy gap (2.1 eV) hematite-based photoanode [...] Read more.
A photoelectrochemical tandem cell (PEC) based on a cathodic hydrophobic gas-diffusion backing layer was developed to produce dry hydrogen from solar driven water splitting. The cell consisted of low cost and non-critical raw materials (CRMs). A relatively high-energy gap (2.1 eV) hematite-based photoanode and a low energy gap (1.2 eV) cupric oxide photocathode were deposited on a fluorine-doped tin oxide glass (FTO) and a hydrophobic carbonaceous substrate, respectively. The cell was illuminated from the anode. The electrolyte separator consisted of a transparent hydrophilic anionic solid polymer membrane allowing higher wavelengths not absorbed by the photoanode to be transmitted to the photocathode. To enhance the oxygen evolution rate, a NiFeOX surface promoter was deposited on the anodic semiconductor surface. To investigate the role of the cathodic backing layer, waterproofing and electrical conductivity properties were studied. Two different porous carbonaceous gas diffusion layers were tested (Spectracarb® and Sigracet®). These were also subjected to additional hydrophobisation procedures. The Sigracet 35BC® showed appropriate ex-situ properties for various wettability grades and it was selected as a cathodic substrate for the PEC. The enthalpic and throughput efficiency characteristics were determined, and the results compared to a conventional FTO glass-based cathode substrate. A throughput efficiency of 2% was achieved for the cell based on the hydrophobic backing layer, under a voltage bias of about 0.6 V, compared to 1% for the conventional cell. For the best configuration, an endurance test was carried out under operative conditions. The cells were electrochemically characterised by linear polarisation tests and impedance spectroscopy measurements. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs were analysed to assess the structure and morphology of the investigated materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Semiconductors, Catalysts and Approaches for the Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting)
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