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Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition

Author

Listed:
  • Maheswari Arunachalam

    (Chonnam National University)

  • Rohini Subhash Kanase

    (Chonnam National University)

  • Kai Zhu

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

  • Soon Hyung Kang

    (Chonnam National University)

Abstract

Hydrogen is one of the most widely used essential chemicals worldwide, and it is also employed in the production of many other chemicals, especially carbon-free energy fuels produced via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. At present, gallium arsenide represents the most efficient photoanode material for PEC water oxidation, but it is known to either be anodically photocorroded or photopassivated by native metal oxides in the competitive reaction, limiting efficiency and stability. Here, we report chemically etched GaAs that is decorated with thin titanium dioxide (~30 nm-thick, crystalline) surface passivation layer along with nickel-phosphate (Ni-Pi) cocatalyst as a surface hole-sink layer. The integration of Ni-Pi bifunctional co-catalyst results in a highly efficient GaAs electrode with a ~ 100 mV cathodic shift of the onset potential. In this work, the electrode also has enhanced photostability under 110 h testing for PEC water oxidation at a steady current density Jph > 25 mA·cm−2. The Et-GaAs/TiO2/Ni-Pi║Ni-Pi tandem configuration results in the best unassisted bias-free water splitting device with the highest Jph (~7.6 mA·cm−2) and a stable solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 9.5%.

Suggested Citation

  • Maheswari Arunachalam & Rohini Subhash Kanase & Kai Zhu & Soon Hyung Kang, 2023. "Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41120-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41120-0
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    1. Chao Feng & Faze Wang & Zhi Liu & Mamiko Nakabayashi & Yequan Xiao & Qiugui Zeng & Jie Fu & Qianbao Wu & Chunhua Cui & Yifan Han & Naoya Shibata & Kazunari Domen & Ian D. Sharp & Yanbo Li, 2021. "A self-healing catalyst for electrocatalytic and photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution in highly alkaline conditions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Purushothaman Varadhan & Hui-Chun Fu & Yu-Cheng Kao & Ray-Hua Horng & Jr-Hau He, 2019. "An efficient and stable photoelectrochemical system with 9% solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency via InGaP/GaAs double junction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Ji-Wook Jang & Chun Du & Yifan Ye & Yongjing Lin & Xiahui Yao & James Thorne & Erik Liu & Gregory McMahon & Junfa Zhu & Ali Javey & Jinghua Guo & Dunwei Wang, 2015. "Enabling unassisted solar water splitting by iron oxide and silicon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-5, November.
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