NiO(x)-Fe2O3-coated p-Si photocathodes for enhanced solar water splitting in neutral pH water.

We report successful growth of a uniform and scalable nanocomposite film of Fe2O3 nanorods (NRs) and NiOx nanoparticles (NPs), their properties and application for enhanced solar water reduction in neutral pH water on the surface of p-Si photocathodes.

Solution-grown 3D Cu2O networks for efficient solar water splitting.

We report a facile and large-scale solution fabrication of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanowires/nanorods and 3D porous Cu2O networks and their application as photocathodes for efficient solar water splitting. The growth mechanism and structural characterization of 3D porous Cu2O networks are studied in detail. The photocathodic performance of Cu2O electrodes prepared under different growth conditions is investigated in a pH-neutral medium.

Si photoanode protected by a metal modified ITO layer with ultrathin NiO(x) for solar water oxidation.

We report an ultrathin NiOx catalyzed Si np(+) junction photoanode for a stable and efficient solar driven oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water. A stable semi-transparent ITO/Au/ITO hole conducting oxide layer, sandwiched between the OER catalyst and the Si photoanode, is used to protect the Si from corrosion in an alkaline working environment, enhance the hole transportation, and provide a pre-activation contact to the NiOx catalyst. The NiOx catalyzed Si photoanode generates a photocurrent of 1.

Metal oxide composite enabled nanotextured Si photoanode for efficient solar driven water oxidation.

We present a study of a transition metal oxide composite modified n-Si photoanode for efficient and stable water oxidation. This sputter-coated composite functions as a protective coating to prevent Si from photodecomposition, a Schottky heterojunction, a hole conducting layer for efficient charge separation and transportation, and an electrocatalyst to reduce the reaction overpotential. The formation of mixed-valence oxides composed of Ni and Ru effectively modifies the optical, electrical, and catalytic properties of the coating material, as well as the interfaces with Si.