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Organic Semiconductor-BiVO4 Tandem Devices for Solar-Driven H2O and CO2 Splitting.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Yeung, Celine Wing See 
Andrei, Virgil 
Lee, Tack Ho 
Durrant, James Robert 

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices offer a promising platform towards direct solar light harvesting and chemical storage. However, most prototypes employ wide bandgap semiconductors, moisture-sensitive inorganic light absorbers, or corrosive electrolytes. Here, we introduce the design and assembly of PEC devices based on an organic donor-acceptor bulk heterojunction (BHJ), which demonstrate long-term H2 evolution and CO2 reduction in benign aqueous media using a carbon-based encapsulant. Accordingly, PCE10:EH-IDTBR photocathodes display long-term H2 production for 300 h in a near-neutral pH solution, whereas photocathodes with a molecular CO2 reduction catalyst attain a CO:H2 selectivity of 5.41±0.53 under 0.1 sun irradiation. Their early onset potentials enable the construction of PCE10:EH-IDTBR - BiVO4 artificial leaves, which couple unassisted syngas production with O2 evolution in a reactor completely powered by sunlight, sustaining a 1:1 ratio of CO to H2 over 96 h of operation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description

Keywords

carbonaceous materials, organic semiconductors, photoelectrochemistry, solar fuels, syngas production, water splitting

Journal Title

Adv Mater

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0935-9648
1521-4095

Volume Title

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Horizon Europe UKRI Underwrite ERC (EP/X030563/1)
This work was supported by an ERC/UKRI Advanced Grant (EP/X030563/1); C.W.S.Y. thanks the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) for a Ph.D. studentship and the EPSRC Cambridge NanoDTC (EP/S022953/1) for support. V.A. acknowledges funding from St John’s College Cambridge (Title A Research Fellowship) and the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability. T.H.L and J.R.D gratefully acknowledge funding from the EPSRC (Project ATIP, EP/T028513/1).
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