Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells
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 spl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Catalysts |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/5/584 |
| _version_ | 1797535599449604096 |
|---|---|
| author | Tomohiro Higashi Yutaka Sasaki Yudai Kawase Hiroshi Nishiyama Masao Katayama Kazuhiro Takanabe Kazunari Domen |
| author_facet | Tomohiro Higashi Yutaka Sasaki Yudai Kawase Hiroshi Nishiyama Masao Katayama Kazuhiro Takanabe Kazunari Domen |
| author_sort | Tomohiro Higashi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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 Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> 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, NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>-modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> (NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub>) photoanodes showed the lowest onset potential for OER. A PEC cell with a parallel configuration consisting of a NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> photoanode and an Al-doped La<sub>5</sub>Ti<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>0.9</sub>Ag<sub>0.1</sub>S<sub>5</sub>O<sub>7</sub> (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 NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:47:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f030f9945cbe4867918803bd451c6cae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:47:43Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-f030f9945cbe4867918803bd451c6cae2023-11-21T18:00:46ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442021-04-0111558410.3390/catal11050584Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical CellsTomohiro Higashi0Yutaka Sasaki1Yudai Kawase2Hiroshi Nishiyama3Masao Katayama4Kazuhiro Takanabe5Kazunari Domen6Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanOffice of University Professors, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanDepartment of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanOffice of University Professors, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanEnvironmental Science Center, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanDepartment of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanOffice of University Professors, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanThe 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 Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> 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, NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>-modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> (NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub>) photoanodes showed the lowest onset potential for OER. A PEC cell with a parallel configuration consisting of a NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> photoanode and an Al-doped La<sub>5</sub>Ti<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>0.9</sub>Ag<sub>0.1</sub>S<sub>5</sub>O<sub>7</sub> (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 NiFeO<i><sub>x</sub></i>/Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/5/584photoelectrochemical water splittingsurface modificationsolar hydrogen production |
| spellingShingle | Tomohiro Higashi Yutaka Sasaki Yudai Kawase Hiroshi Nishiyama Masao Katayama Kazuhiro Takanabe Kazunari Domen Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells Catalysts photoelectrochemical water splitting surface modification solar hydrogen production |
| title | Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells |
| title_full | Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells |
| title_fullStr | Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells |
| title_short | Surface-Modified Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub> Photoanodes for Sunlight-Driven Overall Water Splitting by Photoelectrochemical Cells |
| title_sort | surface modified ta sub 3 sub n sub 5 sub photoanodes for sunlight driven overall water splitting by photoelectrochemical cells |
| topic | photoelectrochemical water splitting surface modification solar hydrogen production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/5/584 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tomohirohigashi surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT yutakasasaki surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT yudaikawase surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT hiroshinishiyama surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT masaokatayama surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT kazuhirotakanabe surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells AT kazunaridomen surfacemodifiedtasub3subnsub5subphotoanodesforsunlightdrivenoverallwatersplittingbyphotoelectrochemicalcells |