A Single Chip Standalone Water Splitting Photoelectrochemical Cell

Authors

  • Mourad Frites Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
  • William B. Ingler Jr. Sunnyfuel LLP, 200 West Scott Park Drive, Toledo, OH 43607, USA
  • Shahed U.M. Khan Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-6002.2014.03.01.2

Keywords:

Water-splitting, Triple-Junctions amorphous-Silicon, photovoltaic

Abstract

Water splitting photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) was fabricated in which the electrolyzer parts were made on a single chip. This was achieved by depositing an optically transparent Mn-oxide-TiO2 thin layer on the front of a triple junction amorphous Si photovoltaic cell which acted as the anode and the back stainless steel layer acted as the cathode under illumination of light. This single chip water electrolysis cell operates like an artificial leaf. Water splitting was observed by simply submersing the device in a basic electrolyte solution under solar simulated light of 1 sun (0.1 W cm-2). This self-driven PEC was found to produce hydrogen gas at the rate of 12.42 L m-2 h-1 and a solar to hydrogen efficiency (STHE) of 3.25 % from the collected H2 gas in 2.5 M KOH solution. No signs of degradation of this single chip PEC were observed during water splitting when the device was run continuously for 6 hours.

References

Walter MG, Warren EL, McKone JR, Boettcher SW, Mi Q, Santori EA, Lewis NS. Solar water splitting cells. Chem Rev 2010; 10: 6446-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cr1002326 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/cr1002326

Maeda K, Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor particles: History and recent Developments. J Photochem Photobiol C: Photochem Rev 2011; 12: 237-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2011.07.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2011.07.001

Meng F, Li J, Cushing SK, Zhi M, Wu NQ. Solar hydrogen generation by nanoscale p-n junction of p-type molybdenum disulfide/n-type nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135: 10286-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja404851s DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja404851s

Saito R, Misekia K, Sayama K. Highly efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting using a thin film photoanode of BiVO4/SnO2/WO3 multi-composite in a carbonate electrolyte. Chem Commun 2012; 48: 3833-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2cc30713h DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c2cc30713h

Khan SUM, Al-Shahry M, Ingler Jr W. Efficient photochemical water-splitting by chemically modified n-TiO2. Science 2002; 297: 2243-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1075035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1075035

Mohaputra SK, Misra M, Mohajan VK, Raja KS. Design of a highly efficient photoelectrolytic cell for hydrogen generation by water splitting: Application of TiO2-xCx nanotubes as a photoanode and Pt/TiO2 nanotubes as a cathode. J Phys Chem C 2007; 111: 8677-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp071906v DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jp071906v

Shankar K, Paulose M, Mor GK, Varghese OK, Grimes CA. A study on the spectral photoresponse and photoelectro-chemical properties of flame-annealed titania nanotube- arrays. J Phys D: Appl Phys 2005; 38: 3543-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/38/18/033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/38/18/033

Park JH, Kim S, Bard AJ. Novel carbon-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays with high aspect ratios for efficient solar water splitting. Nano Lett 2006; 6: 24-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl051807y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/nl051807y

Frites M, Shaban YA, Khan SUM. Iron Oxide (n-Fe2O3) nanowire films and carbon modified (CM)-n-Fe2O3 thin films for hydrogen production by photosplitting of water. International J Hydrogen Energy 2010; 35: 4944-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.08.070 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.08.070

Frites M, Khan SUM. Visible light active hydrogen modified (HM)-n-TiO2 thin films for photoelectrochemical splitting of water. Electrochem Commun 2009; 11: 2257-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2009.10.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2009.10.005

Sun KY, Murphy CJ, Reyes-Gil R, Sun Y, Reyes-Garcia EA, Raftery D. Characterization of photoactive centers in N-Doped In2O3 Visible Photocatalysts for Water Oxidation. J Phys Chem 2009; 113: 12558-70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jp902454b

Kudo A, Miseki Y. Heterogeneous photocatalyst materials for water splitting. Chem Soc Rev 2009; 38: 253-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b800489g DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/B800489G

Bard AJ, Fox MA. Artificial photosynthesis, Acc Chem Res 1995; 28: 141-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ar00051a007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ar00051a007

Goetzberger A, Hoffmann VU. Photovoltaic solar energy generation. Springer 2005.

Rech B, Wagner H. Potential of amorphous silicon for solar cells. Appl Phys A 1999; 69: 155-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s003390050986 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003390050986

Karuppuchamy S, Jeong J-M, Amalnerkar DP, Minoura H. Photoinduced hydrophilicity of titanium dioxide thin films prepared by cathodic electrodeposition. Vacuum 2006; 80: 494-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2005.06.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2005.06.005

Natarajan C, Nogami G. Cathodic electrodeposition of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide thin films. J Electrochem Soc 1996; 143: 1547-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.1836677 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1836677

Khan SUM, Akikusa J. Stability and photoresponse of nanocrystalline n-TiO2 and n- TiO2/Mn2O3 thin film electrodes during water splitting reactions. J Electrochem Soc 1998; 45: 89-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.1838217 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1838217

Kainthla C, Zelenay B, Bockris J O'M. Significant efficiency increase in self‐driven photoelectrochemical cell for water photoelectrolysis. J Electrochem Soc 1987; 134: 841-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2100583 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2100583

Lin GH, Kapur M, Kainthla RC, Bockris JO’M. One step method to produce hydrogen by a triple stack amorphous silicon solar cell. Appl Phys Lett 1989; 55: 386-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.101879 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.101879

Rocheleau R, Miller E. High efficiency photoelectrochemical hydrogen production using multijuction amorphous silicon photoelectrodes. Energy Fuels 1998; 12: 3-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ef9701347 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ef9701347

Morisaki H, Watanabe T, Iwase M, Yazawa K. Photoelectrolysis of water with TiO2‐covered solar‐cell electrodes. Appl Phys Lett 1976; 29: 338-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.89088 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.89088

Kelly NA, Gibson TL. Design and characterization of a robust photoelectrochemical device to generate hydrogen using solar water splitting. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2006; 31: 1658-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2005.12.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2005.12.014

Khaselev O, Turner JA. A monolithic photovoltaic-photoelectrochemical device for hydrogen production via water splitting. Science 1998; 280: 425-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.280.5362.425 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.280.5362.425

Ingler Jr WB, Khan SUM. A self-driven p/n-Fe2O3 tandem photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting. Electrochem Sol Stat Lett 2006; 9: G144-G148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.2176082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2176082

Frites M, Ingler Jr W, Khan SUM. Photoelectrolysis of water in Tj-a-Si solar cell biased CM-n-TiO2││Pt and in monolithic self-driven n-TiO2-Mn2O3 coated Tj-a-Si││Pt photoelectro-chemical cell. ECS Trans 2010; 25: 73-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1.3416203 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1.3416203

Reece SY, Hamel JA, Sung K, Jarvi TD, Esswein JA, Pijpers JJH, Nocera DG. Wirless solar water splitting using silicon based semiconductors and earth abundant Catalysts. Science 2011; 334: 645-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1209816 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1209816

Neumann B, Bogdanoff P, Tributsch H, Sakthivel S, Kisch H. Electrochemical mass spectroscopic and surface photovoltage studies of catalytic water photooxidation by undoped and carbon-doped titania. J Phys Chem B 2005; 109: 16579-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp051339g DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jp051339g

Park H, Vecitis CD, Choi W, Weres O, Hoffmann MR, Solar-powered production of molecular hydrogen from water. J Phys Chem C 2008; 112: 885-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jp710723p DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jp710723p

Ardizzone S, Spinolo G, Trasatti S. The point of zero charge of Co3O4 prepared by thermal decomposition of basic cobalt carbonate. Electrochem Acta 1995; 40: 2683-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(95)00238-A DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(95)00238-A

Kanan MW, Nocera DG. In situ formation of an oxygen evolving catalyst in neutral water in containing phosphate and Co2+ ion. Science 2008; 321: 1072-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1162018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1162018

Bocca C, Barbucci A, Delucchi M, Cerisola G. Nickel–cobalt oxide-coated electrodes: influence of the preparation technique on oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline solution. Int J Hydrogen Energy 1999; 24: 21-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0360-3199(98)00012-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-3199(98)00012-3

Castro EB, Real SG, Dick LFP. Electrochemical characterization of porous nickel-cobalt oxide electrodes. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2004; 29: 255-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0360-3199(03)00133-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-3199(03)00133-2

Chemelewski WD, Lee HC, Lin JF, Bard AJ. Amorphous FeOOH Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136: 2843-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja411835a DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja411835a

McCrory CCL, Jung S, Peters JC, Jaramillo TF. Benchmarking Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135: 16977-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja407115p DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja407115p

Downloads

Published

2014-03-25

How to Cite

Frites, M., Jr., W. B. I., & Khan, S. U. (2014). A Single Chip Standalone Water Splitting Photoelectrochemical Cell. Journal of Technology Innovations in Renewable Energy, 3(1), 6–11. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-6002.2014.03.01.2

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2014 Journal of Technology Innovations in Renewable Energy

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work

Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Publisher retain copyright .

  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC