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ZnTe-based photocathode for hydrogen evolution from water under sunlight

Authors :
Tsutomu Minegishi
Atsushi Ohnishi
Yuriy Pihosh
Kentaro Hatagami
Tomohiro Higashi
Masao Katayama
Kazunari Domen
Masakazu Sugiyama
Source :
APL Materials, Vol 8, Iss 4, Pp 041101-041101-6 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
AIP Publishing LLC, 2020.

Abstract

Zinc telluride (ZnTe)-based photocathodes with appropriate modifications showed incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiencies (IPCEs) higher than 30% at 420–520 nm, reached 40% IPCE at 460 nm, and were not zero up to 710 nm because of photoexcitation related to the intermediate-band. ZnTe films were prepared by productive close-spaced sublimation. After surface modification with CdS and Pt, the photocathode showed clear cathodic photoresponse in the phosphate buffer solution. The modulation of substrate temperature, incorporation of Cu, and further surface modification with very thin Mo and Ti layers significantly enhanced cathodic photocurrent which contributes to hydrogen evolution from water. Through the measurement of IPCEs, photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution from water utilizing photoexcitation related to the intermediate-band was first confirmed. The photocathode showed advantageous durability under simulated sunlight: during irradiation of about 50 min, the stabilized photocurrent slightly decreased from 1.6 mA cm−2 to 1.5 mA cm−2.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2166532X
Volume :
8
Issue :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
APL Materials
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.046493bf7a34bc89fd8d4b0ef88a19a
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0002621