Photoelectrochemical water splitting is becoming important for producing clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight, driven by concerns over fossil fuels and pollution.
Silicon photocathodes are effective due to their light absorption abilities, but issues like low voltage and rapid corrosion limit their performance.
This study explores a titanium nitride passivation layer and a molybdenum oxynitride cocatalyst to improve the stability and efficiency of silicon photocathodes, achieving a high onset potential and over 140 hours of stable operation under harsh conditions.