A Fully Integrated Nanosystem of Semiconductor Nanowires for Direct Solar Water Splitting

Liu, Chong; Tang, Jinyao; Chen, Hao Ming; Liu, Bin; Yang, Peidong

doi:10.1021/nl401615t

A Fully Integrated Nanosystem of Semiconductor Nanowires for Direct Solar Water Splitting

Journal Article · Mon May 06 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nl401615t· OSTI ID:1129499

Liu, Chong ^[1]; Tang, Jinyao; Chen, Hao Ming; Liu, Bin; Yang, Peidong ^[1]

Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States

Artificial photosynthesis, the biomimetic approach to converting sunlight's energy directly into chemical fuels, aims to imitate nature by using an integrated system of nanostructures, each of which plays a specific role in the sunlight-to-fuel conversion process. Here we describe a fully integrated system of nanoscale photoelectrodes assembled from inorganic nanowires for direct solar water splitting. Similar to the photosynthetic system in a chloroplast, the artificial photosynthetic system comprises two semiconductor light absorbers with large surface area, an interfacial layer for charge transport, and spatially separated co-catalysts to facilitate the water reduction and oxidation. Under simulated sunlight, a 0.12 percent solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency is achieved, which is comparable to that of natural photosynthesis. The result demonstrates the possibility of integrating material components into a functional system that mimics the nanoscopic integration in chloroplasts. It also provides a conceptual blueprint of modular design that allows incorporation of newly discovered components for improved performance.

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1129499

Report Number(s):: LBNL-6554E

Journal Information:: Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 13; ISSN 1530-6984

Publisher:: American Chemical Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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