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Title: Engineering Cobalt Phosphide (CoP) Thin Film Catalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Activity on Silicon Photocathodes

Journal Article · · Advanced Energy Materials
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Department of Chemical Engineering Stanford University 443 Via Ortega Stanford CA 94305 USA
  2. Department of Chemical Engineering Stanford University 443 Via Ortega Stanford CA 94305 USA, SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory 2575 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
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Transition metal phosphide catalysts have recently emerged as active, earth abundant alternatives to precious metals for the hydrogen evolution reaction in acid. High performance, scalable catalysts are necessary for the successful implementation of photoelectrochemical water splitting devices, which have the potential to generate hydrogen in a sustainable manner. Herein, a general synthetic route is reported to produce transition metal phosphide thin films, which is used to fabricate cobalt phosphide (CoP) catalysts with high average turnover frequency (TOF avg ), 0.48 H 2 s −1 and 1.0 H 2 s −1 at 100 and 120 mV overpotential, respectively. Furthermore, it is shown that CoP thin films can be applied to silicon photoabsorbers to generate one of the most active precious metal‐free crystalline silicon photocathodes to date, achieving −10 mA cm −2 at +0.345 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. The synthesis route presented here provides a platform for both fundamental studies of well‐defined electrocatalysts and the fabrication of high‐performance photoelectrodes.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
ECS-9731293
OSTI ID:
1785741
Journal Information:
Advanced Energy Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Energy Materials Vol. 6 Journal Issue: 4; ISSN 1614-6832
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

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  • Boettcher, Shannon W.; Warren, Emily L.; Putnam, Morgan C.
  • Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 133, Issue 5, p. 1216-1219 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja108801m
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