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Nano Research 2022, 15(2): 1347-1354 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3663-x
Research Article | Issue | Published: 23 July 2021

CdTe/CdSe-sensitized photocathode coupling with Ni-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for photoelectrochemical generation of hydrogen

Show Author's Information Junhao Zhang,  Mo Zhang,  Yuanyuan Dong( ),  Congcong Bai,  Yeqin Feng,  Le Jiao,  Hongjin Lv( )
MOE Key Laboratory of Cluster Science School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing 102488 China
Keywords:
hydrogen generation, photoelectrochemical water splitting, polyoxometalates, quantum dots-sensitized photocathode, favorable energetic gradient
Topics:
Semiconductor quantum dots
Cite this article:
Zhang J, Zhang M, Dong Y, et al. CdTe/CdSe-sensitized photocathode coupling with Ni-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for photoelectrochemical generation of hydrogen. Nano Research, 2022, 15(2): 1347-1354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3663-x
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

In terms of photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution, substantial challenge still remains regarding the controllable fabrication of quantum dots (QDs)-sensitized photocathodes with enhanced visible-light absorption, efficient charge carrier separation, and directional migration at the electrode interface. In this work, the CdTe/CdSe QDs-sensitized photocathodes were delicately constructed on p-type NiO-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by spin-coating approach. The resulting co-sensitized photocathode exhibits a favorable pseudo-Type Ⅱ energetic band alignment that combines the advantages of strong light absorption of constituent QDs as well as the effective and oriented charge separation and migration. Upon green LED light illumination, the photogenerated electrons could be effectively transferred to a tetra-nickel-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for hydrogen production while photogenerated holes will be scavenged at the NiO/ITO electrode. Under minimally optimized conditions, the pseudo-Type Ⅱ CdTe/CdSe-sensitized photocathode yields a photocurrent density of over 100 μA/cm2 and a Faradaic efficiency of ~ 100%, which is among one of the most efficient QDs-based photocathode systems coupling with Ni-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.


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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

CdTe/CdSe-sensitized photocathode coupling with Ni-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for photoelectrochemical generation of hydrogen

Show Author's information Junhao Zhang, Mo Zhang, Yuanyuan Dong( ), Congcong Bai, Yeqin Feng, Le Jiao, Hongjin Lv( )
MOE Key Laboratory of Cluster Science School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing 102488 China

Abstract

In terms of photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution, substantial challenge still remains regarding the controllable fabrication of quantum dots (QDs)-sensitized photocathodes with enhanced visible-light absorption, efficient charge carrier separation, and directional migration at the electrode interface. In this work, the CdTe/CdSe QDs-sensitized photocathodes were delicately constructed on p-type NiO-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by spin-coating approach. The resulting co-sensitized photocathode exhibits a favorable pseudo-Type Ⅱ energetic band alignment that combines the advantages of strong light absorption of constituent QDs as well as the effective and oriented charge separation and migration. Upon green LED light illumination, the photogenerated electrons could be effectively transferred to a tetra-nickel-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for hydrogen production while photogenerated holes will be scavenged at the NiO/ITO electrode. Under minimally optimized conditions, the pseudo-Type Ⅱ CdTe/CdSe-sensitized photocathode yields a photocurrent density of over 100 μA/cm2 and a Faradaic efficiency of ~ 100%, which is among one of the most efficient QDs-based photocathode systems coupling with Ni-substituted polyoxometalate catalyst for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.

Keywords: hydrogen generation, photoelectrochemical water splitting, polyoxometalates, quantum dots-sensitized photocathode, favorable energetic gradient

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 17 April 2021
Revised: 01 June 2021
Accepted: 07 June 2021
Published: 23 July 2021
Issue date: February 2022

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21871025 and 21831001), the Recruitment Program of Global Experts (Young Talents), and BIT Excellent Young Scholars Research Fund.

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