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Solar Water Splitting with a Hydrogenase Integrated in Photoelectrochemical Tandem Cells

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Nam, Dong Heon 
Zhang, Jenny Z 
Kornienko, Nikolay 
Heidary, Nina 

Abstract

Hydrogenases (H2ases) are benchmark electrocatalysts for H2 production, both in biology and (photo)catalysis in vitro. We report the tailoring of a p-type Si photocathode for optimal loading and wiring of H2ase through the introduction of a hierarchical inverse opal (IO) TiO2 interlayer. This proton-reducing Si j IO-TiO2 j H2ase photocathode is capable of driving overall water splitting in combination with a photoanode. We demonstrate unassisted (bias-free) water splitting by wiring Si j IO-TiO2 j H2ase to a modified BiVO4 photoanode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell during several hours of irradiation. Connecting the Si j IO-TiO2 j H2ase to a photosystem II (PSII) photoanode provides proof of concept for an engineered Z-scheme that replaces the non-complementary, natural light absorber photosystem I with a complementary abiotic silicon photocathode.

Description

Keywords

4103 Environmental Biotechnology, 34 Chemical Sciences, 3406 Physical Chemistry, 40 Engineering, 41 Environmental Sciences, 51 Physical Sciences, 4018 Nanotechnology, 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Journal Title

Angewandte Chemie

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0044-8249
1521-3757

Volume Title

130

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G037221/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015978/1)
EPSRC (1504244)