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Efficient solar water splitting by enhanced charge separation in a bismuth vanadate-silicon tandem photoelectrode

Author

Listed:
  • Fatwa F. Abdi

    (Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage (MECS), Delft University of Technology)

  • Lihao Han

    (Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD) Laboratory, Delft University of Technology)

  • Arno H. M. Smets

    (Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD) Laboratory, Delft University of Technology)

  • Miro Zeman

    (Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD) Laboratory, Delft University of Technology)

  • Bernard Dam

    (Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage (MECS), Delft University of Technology)

  • Roel van de Krol

    (Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage (MECS), Delft University of Technology
    Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie Gmbh, Institute for Solar Fuels)

Abstract

Metal oxides are generally very stable in aqueous solutions and cheap, but their photochemical activity is usually limited by poor charge carrier separation. Here we show that this problem can be solved by introducing a gradient dopant concentration in the metal oxide film, thereby creating a distributed n+–n homojunction. This concept is demonstrated with a low-cost, spray-deposited and non-porous tungsten-doped bismuth vanadate photoanode in which carrier-separation efficiencies of up to 80% are achieved. By combining this state-of-the-art photoanode with an earth-abundant cobalt phosphate water-oxidation catalyst and a double- or single-junction amorphous Si solar cell in a tandem configuration, stable short-circuit water-splitting photocurrents of ~4 and 3 mA cm−2, respectively, are achieved under 1 sun illumination. The 4 mA cm−2 photocurrent corresponds to a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 4.9%, which is the highest efficiency yet reported for a stand-alone water-splitting device based on a metal oxide photoanode.

Suggested Citation

  • Fatwa F. Abdi & Lihao Han & Arno H. M. Smets & Miro Zeman & Bernard Dam & Roel van de Krol, 2013. "Efficient solar water splitting by enhanced charge separation in a bismuth vanadate-silicon tandem photoelectrode," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-7, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3195
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3195
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    Cited by:

    1. Tian, Tian & Jiang, Guiyuan & Li, Yunlu & Xiang, Wenjing & Fu, Wensheng, 2022. "Unveiling the activity and stability of BiVO4 photoanodes with cocatalyst for water oxidation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 132-139.
    2. Nong, Guangzai & Li, Ming & Chen, Yiyi & Zhou, Zongwen & Wang, Shuangfei, 2015. "Simulation of energy conversion in a plant of photocatalysts water splitting for hydrogen fuel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 471-476.
    3. Simon Caron & Marc Röger & Michael Wullenkord, 2020. "Selection of Solar Concentrator Design Concepts for Planar Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Devices," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-31, October.
    4. Hamdani, I.R. & Bhaskarwar, A.N., 2021. "Recent progress in material selection and device designs for photoelectrochemical water-splitting," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. Dhandole, Love Kumar & Anushkkaran, Periyasamy & Hwang, Jun Beom & Chae, Weon-Sik & Kumar, Manish & Lee, Hyun-Hwi & Choi, Sun Hee & Jang, Jum Suk & Lee, Jae Sung, 2022. "Microwave-assisted metal-ion attachment for ex-situ zirconium doping into hematite for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 694-703.
    6. Saraswat, Sushil Kumar & Rodene, Dylan D. & Gupta, Ram B., 2018. "Recent advancements in semiconductor materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production using visible light," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 228-248.
    7. Stephanie J. Boyd & Run Long & Niall J. English, 2022. "Electric Field Effects on Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: Perspectives and Outlook," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.

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