Water splitting with silicon p–i–n superlattices suspended in solution

Taylor S. Teitsworth, David J. Hill, Samantha R. Litvin, Earl T. Ritchie, Jin-Sung Park, James P. Custer, Aaron D. Taggart, Samuel R. Bottum, Sarah E. Morley, Seokhyoung Kim, James R. McBride, Joanna M. Atkin and James F. Cahoon ()
Additional contact information
Taylor S. Teitsworth: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
David J. Hill: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Samantha R. Litvin: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Earl T. Ritchie: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jin-Sung Park: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
James P. Custer: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Aaron D. Taggart: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Samuel R. Bottum: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sarah E. Morley: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Seokhyoung Kim: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
James R. McBride: Vanderbilt University
Joanna M. Atkin: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
James F. Cahoon: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Nature, 2023, vol. 614, issue 7947, 270-274

Abstract: Abstract Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce hydrogen fuel was first reported 50 years ago1, yet artificial photosynthesis has not become a widespread technology. Although planar Si solar cells have become a ubiquitous electrical energy source economically competitive with fossil fuels, analogous PEC devices have not been realized, and standard Si p-type/n-type (p–n) junctions cannot be used for water splitting because the bandgap precludes the generation of the needed photovoltage. An alternative paradigm, the particle suspension reactor (PSR), forgoes the rigid design in favour of individual PEC particles suspended in solution, a potentially low-cost option compared with planar systems2,3. Here we report Si-based PSRs by synthesizing high-photovoltage multijunction Si nanowires (SiNWs) that are co-functionalized to catalytically split water. By encoding a p-type–intrinsic–n-type (p–i–n) superlattice within single SiNWs, tunable photovoltages exceeding 10 V were observed under 1 sun illumination. Spatioselective photoelectrodeposition of oxygen and hydrogen evolution co-catalysts enabled water splitting at infrared wavelengths up to approximately 1,050 nm, with the efficiency and spectral dependence of hydrogen generation dictated by the photonic characteristics of the sub-wavelength-diameter SiNWs. Although initial energy conversion efficiencies are low, multijunction SiNWs bring the photonic advantages of a tunable, mesoscale geometry and the material advantages of Si—including the small bandgap and economies of scale—to the PSR design, providing a new approach for water-splitting reactors.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05549-5

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