Issue 12, 2016

Polymer-based photocathodes with a solution-processable cuprous iodide anode layer and a polyethyleneimine protective coating

Abstract

Organic semiconductors have been proven to be suitable for efficient photovoltaic generation during the last decade but have been scarcely assessed as photoelectrochemical devices. In this work we present the fabrication and characterization of a new efficient hybrid organic/inorganic photocathode for hydrogen evolution showing both a positive onset potential (+0.702 V vs. RHE) and a maximum power point (+0.303 V vs. RHE). We demonstrate that a conventional P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction architecture enclosed between a solution-processed cuprous iodide hole selective layer and a Pt-decorated nanostructured TiO2 layer can efficiently photogenerate hydrogen under acidic conditions under simulated 1 Sun illumination. This architecture showed initial photocurrents as high as 8 mA cm−2 at 0 V vs. RHE, IPCE above 50%, 100% faradaic efficiency and an ideal ratiometric power-saved figure of merit equal to 1.21%. Finally, with the addition of a solution-processed polyethyleneimine protective coating, we improved the device stability. This work paves the way to the use of hybrid organic/inorganic photocathodes for efficient solar hydrogen generation.

Graphical abstract: Polymer-based photocathodes with a solution-processable cuprous iodide anode layer and a polyethyleneimine protective coating

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Jun 2016
Accepted
28 Jul 2016
First published
28 Jul 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Energy Environ. Sci., 2016,9, 3710-3723

Author version available

Polymer-based photocathodes with a solution-processable cuprous iodide anode layer and a polyethyleneimine protective coating

H. C. Rojas, S. Bellani, F. Fumagalli, G. Tullii, S. Leonardi, M. T. Mayer, M. Schreier, M. Grätzel, G. Lanzani, F. Di Fonzo and M. R. Antognazza, Energy Environ. Sci., 2016, 9, 3710 DOI: 10.1039/C6EE01655C

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