A molecular tandem cell for efficient solar water splitting
- 16 June 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Vol. 117 (24), 13256-13260
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2001753117
Abstract
Artificial photosynthesis provides a way to store solar energy in chemical bonds. Achieving water splitting without an applied external potential bias provides the key to artificial photosynthetic devices. We describe here a tandem photoelectrochemical cell design that combines a dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell (DSPEC) and an organic solar cell (OSC) in a photoanode for water oxidation. When combined with a Pt electrode for H2 evolution, the electrode becomes part of a combined electrochemical cell for water splitting, 2H2O → O2 + 2H2, by increasing the voltage of the photoanode sufficiently to drive bias-free reduction of H+ to H2. The combined electrode gave a 1.5% solar conversion efficiency for water splitting with no external applied bias, providing a mimic for the tandem cell configuration of PSII in natural photosynthesis. The electrode provided sustained water splitting in the molecular photoelectrode with sustained photocurrent densities of 1.24 mA/cm2 for 1 h under 1-sun illumination with no applied bias.This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- An autonomous photosynthetic device in which all charge carriers derive from surface plasmonsNature Nanotechnology, 2013
- Highly efficient water splitting by a dual-absorber tandem cellNature Photonics, 2012
- Chemical approaches to artificial photosynthesisProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012
- Artificial photosynthesis for solar water-splittingNature Photonics, 2012
- Structure–Property Relationships in Phosphonate-Derivatized, RuII Polypyridyl Dyes on Metal Oxide Surfaces in an Aqueous EnvironmentThe Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2012
- Roll-to-roll fabrication of polymer solar cellsMaterials Today, 2012
- Wireless Solar Water Splitting Using Silicon-Based Semiconductors and Earth-Abundant CatalystsScience, 2011
- Polymer powerNature Photonics, 2009
- Powering the planet: Chemical challenges in solar energy utilizationProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2006
- Chemical approaches to artificial photosynthesisAccounts of Chemical Research, 1989