(15d) Optimizing Nanoscale Catalyst/Semiconductor Photoelectrocatalysts with Interfacial Design | AIChE

(15d) Optimizing Nanoscale Catalyst/Semiconductor Photoelectrocatalysts with Interfacial Design

Authors 

Mathur, A. - Presenter, Georgia Institute of Technology
Hemmerling, J., University of Michigan
Linic, S., University of Michigan
A promising system for high-efficiency photoelectrochemical water splitting consists of two series-connected semiconductors each coupled with nanoparticle electrocatalysts to perform the hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution half-reactions.1 It has been established that the interface between the semiconductor and electrocatalysts plays a pivotal role in the efficiency of these systems.2 In this contribution, we perform rigorous electrochemical experiments, interfacial atomistic characterization, and computational modeling to study the interface of a functioning semiconductor (silicon) and nickel electrocatalysts in photoelectrochemical water splitting. We found that the interface is highly dynamic under operating conditions and that the evolution of the interface plays a critical role in (1) minimizing the electron/hole recombination by influencing the charge carrier fluxes, (2) increasing the barrier height of the junction, and (3) improving the stability of the system.3 Overall, these findings are important for fundamentally understanding and optimizing nanoparticle catalyst/semiconductor interfaces which are ubiquitous in photoelectrocatalysts.

References:

[1] Seitz, L. C.; Chen, Z.; Forman, A. J.; Pinaud, B. A.; Benck, J. D.; Jaramillo, T. F. ChemSusChem 2014

[2] Quinn, J.; Hemmerling, J.; Linic, S. ACS Energy Lett. 2019

[3] Hemmerling, J.; Quinn, J.; Linic, S. Adv. Energy Mater. 2020