Decoration of Cu2O photocathode with protective TiO2 and active WS2 layers for enhanced photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution

Xintong Li; Bo Liu; Ying Chen; Xiaobin Fan; Yang Li; Fengbao Zhang; Guoliang Zhang; Wenchao Peng

doi:10.1088/1361-6528/aae569

Decoration of Cu₂O photocathode with protective TiO₂ and active WS₂ layers for enhanced photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution

Nanotechnology. 2018 Dec 14;29(50):505603. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/aae569. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Authors

Xintong Li¹, Bo Liu, Ying Chen, Xiaobin Fan, Yang Li, Fengbao Zhang, Guoliang Zhang, Wenchao Peng

Affiliation

¹ School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300050, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 30272574
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aae569

Abstract

A Cu₂O based multi-layered photocathode was fabricated with a layer-by-layer assembly method for enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution. Au was first electrodeposited on the fluorine-doped tin oxide glass to decrease the electrochemical impedance of the Cu₂O photocathode. A layer of TiO₂ was then coated to increase the light-to-electricity energy conversion efficiency and the chemical stability by forming a p-n junction with Cu₂O. Exfoliated WS₂ nanosheets obtained from lithium insertion were then coated as the electron acceptor to facilitate the hydrogen evolution. This photocathode is effective for PEC hydrogen evolution, and a photocurrent of -10 mA cm^-2 can be obtained at -0.33 V versus RHE in a phosphorus buffer (pH = 6.0) under visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm, 100 mW cm^-2) on the optimized photocathode.