Gradient Surface Gallium-Doped Hematite Photoelectrode for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

Hematite is a promising material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation, but its photocurrent is limited by bulk charge recombination and poor oxidation kinetics. In this study, we report a high-performance FeO photoanode achieved through gradient surface gallium doping, utilizing a GaO overlayer on FeOOH precursors via atomic layer deposition (ALD) and co-annealing for Ga diffusion. The Ga-doped layer passivates surface states and modifies the band structure, creating a built-in electric field that enhances the charge separation efficiency.

Semitransparent CuO Films Based on CuO Back Layer for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Photovoltaic Applications.

Cuprous oxide (CuO) as an intrinsic p-type semiconductor is promising for solar energy conversion. The major challenge in fabricating CuO lies in achieving both high transparency and high performance in a tandem device. The CuO photocathodes often employ gold as the back contact layer.

High carrier mobility along the [111] orientation in CuO photoelectrodes.

Solar fuels offer a promising approach to provide sustainable fuels by harnessing sunlight. Following a decade of advancement, CuO photocathodes are capable of delivering a performance comparable to that of photoelectrodes with established photovoltaic materials. However, considerable bulk charge carrier recombination that is poorly understood still limits further advances in performance.

Improving the photovoltage of CuO photocathodes with dual buffer layers.

Cuprous oxide (CuO) is a promising oxide material for photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC), and increasing its photovoltage is the key to creating efficient overall PEC water-splitting devices. Previous reports are mostly focused on optimizing the energy band alignment between CuO and the n-type buffer layer to improve the photovoltage of CuO photocathodes. However, the band alignment between the n-type buffer layer and the protective layer is often ignored.

Elucidating the Role of Hypophosphite Treatment in Enhancing the Performance of BiVO Photoanode for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

Slow water oxidation kinetics and poor charge transport restrict the development of efficient BiVO photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Oxygen vacancy as an effective strategy can significantly enhance charge transport and improve conductivity in semiconductor photoanodes. Herein, we obtained BiVO photoanodes with appropriate oxygen vacancy by treating them with hypophosphite, which significantly improved the PEC performance.