Benchmark performance of low-cost Sb₂Se₃ photocathodes for unassisted solar overall water splitting



Yang, Wooseok, Kim, Jin Hyun, Hutter, Oliver S, Phillips, Laurie J ORCID: 0000-0001-5181-1565, Tan, Jeiwan, Park, Jaemin, Lee, Hyungsoo, Major, Jonathan D ORCID: 0000-0002-5554-1985, Lee, Jae Sung and Moon, Jooho
(2020) Benchmark performance of low-cost Sb₂Se₃ photocathodes for unassisted solar overall water splitting. Nature Communications, 11 (1). 861-.

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Abstract

Determining cost-effective semiconductors exhibiting desirable properties for commercial photoelectrochemical water splitting remains a challenge. Herein, we report a Sb2Se3 semiconductor that satisfies most requirements for an ideal high-performance photoelectrode, including a small band gap and favourable cost, optoelectronic properties, processability, and photocorrosion stability. Strong anisotropy, a major issue for Sb2Se3, is resolved by suppressing growth kinetics via close space sublimation to obtain high-quality compact thin films with favourable crystallographic orientation. The Sb2Se3 photocathode exhibits a high photocurrent density of almost 30 mA cm−2 at 0 V against the reversible hydrogen electrode, the highest value so far. We demonstrate unassisted solar overall water splitting by combining the optimised Sb2Se3 photocathode with a BiVO4 photoanode, achieving a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 1.5% with stability over 10 h under simulated 1 sun conditions employing a broad range of solar fluxes. Low-cost Sb2Se3 can thus be an attractive breakthrough material for commercial solar fuel production.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Materials for energy and catalysis, Nanoscale materials, Photocatalysis, Solar fuels
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 18 Feb 2020 11:43
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 00:02
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14704-3
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3075536