Toward Tandem Solar Cells for Water Splitting Using Polymer Electrolytes.

Tandem photoelectrochemical cells, formed by two photoelectrodes with complementary light absorption, have been proposed to be a viable approach for obtaining clean hydrogen. This requires the development of new designs that allow for upscaling, which would be favored by the use of transparent polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) instead of conventional liquid electrolytes. This article focuses on the photoelectrochemical performance of a water-splitting tandem cell based on a phosphorus-modified α-FeO photoanode and on an iron-modified CuO photocathode, with the employment of an alkaline PEM.

Improving the Stability and Efficiency of CuO Photocathodes for Solar Hydrogen Production through Modification with Iron.

Cupric oxide (CuO) is considered as a promising photocathode material for photo(electro)chemical water splitting because of its suitable band gap, low cost related to copper earth abundancy, and straightforward fabrication. The main challenge for the development of practical CuO-based photocathodes for solar hydrogen evolution is to enhance its stability against photocorrosion. In this work, stable and efficient CuO photocathodes have been developed by using a simple and cost-effective methodology.