Printed assemblies of GaAs photoelectrodes with decoupled optical and reactive interfaces for unassisted solar water splitting

Dongseok Kang, James L. Young, Haneol Lim, Walter E. Klein, Huandong Chen, Yuzhou Xi, Boju Gai, Todd G. Deutsch and Jongseung Yoon ()
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Dongseok Kang: University of Southern California
James L. Young: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Haneol Lim: University of Southern California
Walter E. Klein: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Huandong Chen: University of Southern California
Yuzhou Xi: University of Southern California
Boju Gai: University of Southern California
Todd G. Deutsch: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Jongseung Yoon: University of Southern California

Nature Energy, 2017, vol. 2, issue 5, 1-5

Abstract: Abstract Despite their excellent photophysical properties and record-high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency, the high cost and limited stability of III–V compound semiconductors prohibit their practical application in solar-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting. Here we present a strategy for III–V photocatalysis that can circumvent these difficulties via printed assemblies of epitaxially grown compound semiconductors. A thin film stack of GaAs-based epitaxial materials is released from the growth wafer and printed onto a non-native transparent substrate to form an integrated photocatalytic electrode for solar hydrogen generation. The heterogeneously integrated electrode configuration together with specialized epitaxial design serve to decouple the material interfaces for illumination and electrocatalysis. Subsequently, this allows independent control and optimization of light absorption, carrier transport, charge transfer, and material stability. Using this approach, we construct a series-connected wireless tandem system of GaAs photoelectrodes and demonstrate 13.1% solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of unassisted-mode water splitting.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nenergy.2017.43

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