Waveguide photoreactor enhances solar fuels photon utilization towards maximal optoelectronic – photocatalytic synergy

Joel Y. Y. Loh, Abhinav Mohan, Andrew G. Flood, Geoffery A. Ozin () and Nazir P. Kherani ()
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Joel Y. Y. Loh: University of Toronto
Abhinav Mohan: University of Toronto
Andrew G. Flood: University of Toronto
Geoffery A. Ozin: University of Toronto
Nazir P. Kherani: University of Toronto

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract A conventional light management approach on a photo-catalyst is to concentrate photo-intensity to enhance the catalytic rate. We present a counter-intuitive approach where light intensity is distributed below the electronic photo-saturation limit under the principle of light maximization. By operating below the saturation point of the photo-intensity induced hydroxide growth under reactant gaseous H2+CO2 atmosphere, a coating of defect engineered In2O3-x(OH)y nanorod Reverse Water Gas Shift solar-fuel catalyst on an optical waveguide outperforms a coated plane by a factor of 2.2. Further, light distribution along the length of the waveguide increases optical pathlengths of the weakly absorptive green and yellow wavelengths, which increases CO product rate by a factor of 8.1-8.7 in the visible. Synergistically pairing with thinly doped silicon on the waveguide enhances the CO production rate by 27% over the visible. In addition, the persistent photoconductivity behavior of the In2O3-x(OH)y system enables CO production at a comparable rate for 2 h after turning off photo-illumination, enhancing yield with 44-62% over thermal only yield. The practical utility of persistent photocatalysis was demonstrated through outdoor solar concentrator tests, which after a day-and-night cycle showed CO yield increase of 19% over a day-light only period.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20613-2

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