Improving the Stability and Efficiency of CuO Photocathodes for Solar Hydrogen Production through Modification with Iron

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Ainhoa CotsRoberto Gómez

Abstract

Cupric oxide (CuO) is considered as a promising photocathode material for photo(electro)chemical water splitting because of its suitable band gap, low cost related to copper earth abundancy, and straightforward fabrication. The main challenge for the development of practical CuO-based photocathodes for solar hydrogen evolution is to enhance its stability against photocorrosion. In this work, stable and efficient CuO photocathodes have been developed by using a simple and cost-effective methodology. CuO films, composed of nanowires and prepared by chemical oxidation of electrodeposited Cu, develop relatively high photocurrents in 1 M NaOH. However, this photocurrent appears to be partly associated with photocorrosion of CuO. It is significant though that, even unprotected, a faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution of ∼45% is attained. The incorporation of iron through an impregnation method, followed by a high-temperature thermal treatment for promoting the external phase transition of the nanowires from CuO to ternary copper iron oxide, was found to provide an improved stability at the expense of photocurrent, which decreases to about one-third of its initial value. In contrast, a faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution o...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 18, 2019·Dalton Transactions : an International Journal of Inorganic Chemistry·Atul VermaYen-Pei Fu
Sep 23, 2020·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Damián Monllor-SatocaRoberto Gómez
May 18, 2021·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Johanna EichhornFrancesca M Toma
Jun 13, 2021·Advanced Materials·Roozbeh Siavash MoakharMichael Saliba
Jul 20, 2018·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Ainhoa CotsRoberto Gómez
Oct 17, 2019·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Pramod Patil KunturuJurriaan Huskens

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