Ultrasound Induces Local Disorder of FeOOH on CdInS Photoanode for High Efficiency Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

The regulation of the crystal structure of oxygen evolution cocatalyst (OEC) is a promising strategy for enhancing the photoelectrochemical efficiency of photoanodes. However, the prevailing regulating approach typically requires a multistep procedure, presenting a significant challenge for maintaining the structural integrity and performance of the photoanode. Herein, FeOOH with a local disordered structure is directly grown on a CdInS (CIS) photoanode via a simple and mild sonochemical approach.

Uracil Induced Simultaneously Strengthening Grain Boundaries and Interfaces Enables High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Superior Operational Stability.

The operational stability is a huge obstacle to further commercialization of perovskite solar cells. To address this critical issue, in this work, uracil is introduced as a "binder" into the perovskite film to simultaneously improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and operational stability. Uracil can efficiently passivate defects and strengthen grain boundaries to enhance the stability of perovskite films.

Cocatalysts-Photoanode Interface in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: Understanding and Insights.

Sluggish oxygen evolution reactions on photoanode surfaces severely limit the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The loading of cocatalysts on photoanodes has been recognized as the simplest and most efficient optimization scheme, which can reduce the surface barrier, provide more active sites, and accelerate the surface catalytic reaction kinetics. Nevertheless, the introduction of cocatalysts inevitably generates interfaces between photoanodes and oxygen evolution cocatalysts (Ph/OEC), which causes severe interfacial recombination and hinders the carrier transfer.

Pristine GaFeO Photoanodes with Surface Charge Transfer Efficiency of Almost Unity at 1.23 V for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Oxide-based photoelectrodes commonly generate deep trap states associated with various intrinsic defects such as vacancies, antisites, and dislocations, limiting their photoelectrochemical properties. Herein, it is reported that rhombohedral GaFeO (GFO) thin-film photoanodes exhibit defect-inactive features, which manifest themselves by negligible trap-states-associated charge recombination losses during photoelectrochemical water splitting. Unlike conventional defect-tolerant semiconductors, the origin of the defect-inactivity in GFO is the strongly preferred antisite formation, suppressing the generation of other defects that act as deep traps.

Porphyrins-Assisted Cocatalyst Engineering with CoOV Bond in BiVO Photoanode for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is limited by the sluggish surface oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. OER kinetics can be effectively improved through cocatalyst engineering. However, the tardy transfer process and serious recombination of carriers are the key factors restricting the cocatalyst development.

Synergistic effect of atomic layer deposition-assisted cocatalyst and crystal facet engineering in SnS nanosheet for solar water oxidation.

The severe bulk recombination and sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) dynamics of photoanodes severely restrict the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices. To solve these two problems, crystallographic facet orientation and cocatalyst emergence with a high-quality photoanode/cocatalyst interface were realized through an air annealing-assisted strategy to treat atomic layer deposition (ALD)-modified SnS nanosheet arrays. Based on experimental observations and theoretical calculations, the reduced (001) crystal facet of SnS decreases the recombination of photogenerated carriers in the bulk and improves the carrier separation of the photoanode.

Phase-Transition-Cycle-Induced Recrystallization of FAPbI3 Film in An Open Environment Toward Excellent Photodetectors with High Reproducibility.

Perovskite is an attractive building block for future optoelectronic applications. However, the strict fabrication conditions of perovskite devices impede the transformation of lab techniques into commercial applications. Here, a facile annealing-free posttreatment is proposed to reconstruct the perovskite film to obtain high-performance photodetectors with an optimized production rate.

Interfacial Bi-S bonds modulate band alignment for efficient solar water oxidation.

Introducing suitable interfacial chemical bonds into heterojunctions can increase the charge carrier density, propel the charge separation, and facilitate interfacial charge extraction in photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. However, tuning chemical bonds at heterojunction interfaces and elucidating their influences on band alignment and the associated evolution of PEC performance remain elusive. Herein, Bi-S bonds were introduced into the interface of a CdInS (CIS)/BiWO (BWO) heterojunction.

A Universal Strategy of Intermolecular Exchange to Stabilize α-FAPbI and Manage Crystal Orientation for High-Performance Humid-Air-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells.

Preparation of high-performance perovskite solar cells without strict environmental control is an inevitable trend of commercialization. Humidity is considered the main factor hindering perovskite performance. Formamidine (FA)-based perovskites suffer from the instability of photoactive black α-FAPbI especially in humid air, and numerous defects in the surface and bulk of perovskite films limit their performance.

Polypyrrole Serving as Multifunctional Surface Modifier for Photoanode Enables Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

Conjugated polymer polypyrrole (PPy) with high electrical conductivity and excellent photothermal effect has been adopted as multifunctional surface modifier on ternary metal sulfide (CdIn S , CIS) photoanode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for the first time. As a p-type conducting polymer, PPy forms p-n junction with n-type CIS to relieve the bulk carrier recombination. Besides, the incorporation of Ni ions into PPy matrix further enhances the surface charge carrier transfer at photoanode/electrolyte interfaces.

Designing a Transparent CdIn S /In S Bulk-Heterojunction Photoanode Integrated with a Perovskite Solar Cell for Unbiased Water Splitting.

The integration of photoelectrochemical photoanodes and solar cells to build an unbiased solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion system provides a promising way to solve the energy crisis. The key point is to develop highly transparent photoanodes, while its bulk separation efficiency (η ) and surface injection efficiency are as high as possible. To resolve this contradiction, first a novel CdIn S /In S bulk heterojunctions in the interior of nanosheets is designed as a photoanode with high transparency and an ultrahigh η up to 90%.

A high-activity bimetallic OER cocatalyst for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting of BiVO.

BiVO4 has been widely used as a photoanode material, while the slow surface oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics still severely hinders its performance. Here, an efficient bimetallic cocatalyst (named FeSnOS) was obtained by post-annealing a Fe/Sn-containing metal chalcogenide coordination compound to enhance the OER activity of BiVO4. The synergistic effect of Fe and Sn species in the amorphous FeSnOS cocatalyst efficiently lowers the interface impedance of the photoanode, reduces the electrochemical reaction overpotential, and promotes the surface OER dynamics.

A Plasma-Triggered O-S Bond and P-N Junction Near the Surface of a SnS Nanosheet Array to Enable Efficient Solar Water Oxidation.

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell can split water into hydrogen and oxygen with the assistance of solar illumination. However, its application is still limited by excessive bulk carrier recombination and sluggish surface oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. Taking SnS as an example, a promising layered optoelectronic semiconductor, Ar plasma treatment strategy was used to introduce a SnS/SnS P-N heterojunction and O-S bond near the surface of a SnS nanosheet array, simultaneously increasing the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in the bulk and lowering the OER overpotential at the surface.

Doping-Induced Amorphization, Vacancy, and Gradient Energy Band in SnS Nanosheet Arrays for Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising strategy to convert solar energy into hydrogen fuel. However, the poor bulk charge-separation ability and slow surface oxygen evolution reaction (OER) dynamics of photoelectrodes impede the performance. We construct In- and Zn/In-doped SnS nanosheet arrays through a hydrothermal method.

Gradient Energy Band Driven High-Performance Self-Powered Perovskite/CdS Photodetector.

Self-powered photodetectors are highly desired to meet the great demand in applications of sensing, communication, and imaging. Manipulating the carrier separation and recombination is critical to achieve high performance. In this paper, a self-powered photodetector based on the integrated gradient O-doped CdS nanorod array and perovskite is presented.