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Published October 29, 2015 | public
Journal Article

Thin-Film Materials for the Protection of Semiconducting Photoelectrodes in Solar-Fuel Generators

Abstract

The electrochemical instability of semiconductors in aqueous electrolytes has impeded the development of robust sunlight-driven water-splitting systems. We review the use of protective thin films to improve the electrochemical stability of otherwise unstable semiconductor photoelectrodes (e.g., Si and GaAs). We first discuss the origins of instability and various strategies for achieving stable and functional photoelectrosynthetic interfaces. We then focus specifically on the use of thin protective films on photoanodes and photocathodes for photosynthetic reactions that include oxygen evolution, halide oxidation, and hydrogen evolution. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future development of thin-layer protection strategies to enable semiconductor-based solar-driven fuel production.

Additional Information

© 2015 American Chemical Society. Received: June 22, 2015. Revised: September 25, 2015. Publication Date (Web): September 28, 2015. NCS acknowledges start-up funds from Lehigh University. JRM acknowledges a postdoctoral research award from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy through the SunShot Initiative. SH, NSL, JWA, and JY were supported by the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, supported through the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Award Number DE-SC0004993, and NSL was also supported by the National Science Foundation under Award Number CHE-1214152, the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-FG02-03ER15483, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation under Award Number GBMF1225. The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Additional details

Created:
August 20, 2023
Modified:
October 25, 2023