Photoelectrochemical water splitting enhanced by self-assembled metal nanopillars embedded in an oxide semiconductor photoelectrode

Seiji Kawasaki (), Ryota Takahashi, Takahisa Yamamoto, Masaki Kobayashi, Hiroshi Kumigashira, Jun Yoshinobu, Fumio Komori, Akihiko Kudo and Mikk Lippmaa ()
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Seiji Kawasaki: Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), University of Tokyo
Ryota Takahashi: Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), University of Tokyo
Takahisa Yamamoto: Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University
Masaki Kobayashi: Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Hiroshi Kumigashira: Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Jun Yoshinobu: Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), University of Tokyo
Fumio Komori: Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), University of Tokyo
Akihiko Kudo: Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
Mikk Lippmaa: Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), University of Tokyo

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Production of chemical fuels by direct solar energy conversion in a photoelectrochemical cell is of great practical interest for developing a sustainable energy system. Various nanoscale designs such as nanowires, nanotubes, heterostructures and nanocomposites have been explored to increase the energy conversion efficiency of photoelectrochemical water splitting. Here we demonstrate a self-organized nanocomposite material concept for enhancing the efficiency of photocarrier separation and electrochemical energy conversion. Mechanically robust photoelectrodes are formed by embedding self-assembled metal nanopillars in a semiconductor thin film, forming tubular Schottky junctions around each pillar. The photocarrier transport efficiency is strongly enhanced in the Schottky space charge regions while the pillars provide an efficient charge extraction path. Ir-doped SrTiO3 with embedded iridium metal nanopillars shows good operational stability in a water oxidation reaction and achieves over 80% utilization of photogenerated carriers under visible light in the 400- to 600-nm wavelength range.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11818

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