Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition

Arunachalam, Maheswari; Kanase, Rohini Subhash; Zhu, Kai; Kang, Soon Hyung

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-41120-0

Title: Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition

Journal Article · 05 September 2023 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41120-0 · OSTI ID:1998221

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Abstract Hydrogen is one of the most widely used essential chemicals worldwide, and it is also employed in the production of many other chemicals, especially carbon-free energy fuels produced via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. At present, gallium arsenide represents the most efficient photoanode material for PEC water oxidation, but it is known to either be anodically photocorroded or photopassivated by native metal oxides in the competitive reaction, limiting efficiency and stability. Here, we report chemically etched GaAs that is decorated with thin titanium dioxide (~30 nm-thick, crystalline) surface passivation layer along with nickel-phosphate (Ni-Pi) cocatalyst as a surface hole-sink layer. The integration of Ni-Pi bifunctional co-catalyst results in a highly efficient GaAs electrode with a ~ 100 mV cathodic shift of the onset potential. In this work, the electrode also has enhanced photostability under 110 h testing for PEC water oxidation at a steady current density J _ph > 25 mA·cm ⁻² . The Et-GaAs/TiO ₂ /Ni-Pi║Ni-Pi tandem configuration results in the best unassisted bias-free water splitting device with the highest J _ph (~7.6 mA·cm ⁻² ) and a stable solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 9.5%.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1998221

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5900-87139; 5429; PII: 41120

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 14; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Title: Reliable bi-functional nickel-phosphate /TiO2 integration enables stable n-GaAs photoanode for water oxidation under alkaline condition

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