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Published May 22, 2018 | public
Journal Article

Amorphous Cu_(2-δ)O as Passivation Layer for Ultra Long Stability of Copper Oxide Nanowires in Photoelectrochemical Environments

Abstract

Core-shell CuO-Cu_2O nanowires with a surface amorphous Cu2-δO layer leads to high stability photocathodes for use in photoelectrochemical splitting of water. The nanowires are synthesized via carbothermal reduction of CuO nanowires at 300°C during which a 2–3 nm conformal and amorphous Cu_(2-δ)O layer is formed on the nanowire surface. This Cu_(2-δ)O layer enhances photocurrent and improves photocorrosion stability of the nanowires. While catalyst-free, pristine CuO nanowires show a photocurrent density is 0.50 mA/cm^2 and a stability of 53% after 3.4 hours of testing at −0.50 V under AM1.5 G conditions; the catalyst-free, carbothermally reduced nanowires achieve a photocurrent density of 0.75 mA/cm^2 and an improved stability of 96% under identical test conditions. The mechanism of enhanced photocurrent and its stability is discussed in the context of extensive pre and post test nanowire characterization.

Additional Information

© 2018 The Electrochemical Society. JES Focus Issue on Advances in Electrochemical Processes for Interconnect Fabrication in Integrated Circuits. Manuscript submitted February 26, 2018; revised manuscript received April 20, 2018. Published May 22, 2018. Partial support is acknowledged from the US−India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy-Research (PACE-R) for the Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States (SERIIUS), funded jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy (Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Solar Energy Technology Program, under Subcontract DEAC36-08GO28308 to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO) and the Government of India, through the Department of Science and Technology under Subcontract IUSSTF/JCERDC-SERIIUS/2012 dated 22nd Nov 2012. The XPS measurements were made possible through the support from NSF CBET MRI grant # 1337374. Microscopy facilities in the Institute of Materials Science and Engineering (I-MSE), Washington University is acknowledged. Support from Professor Pratim Biswas' group at Washington University is acknowledged for use of the photoelectrochemical characterization facility. The Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center at Washington University is acknowledged for performing the transient absorption spectroscopy measurements.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 18, 2023