Integrated Solar-Driven Device with a Front Surface Semitransparent Catalysts for Unassisted CO2 Reduction
[2]
- National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City (Taiwan); California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg (Germany)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
- National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City (Taiwan)
- University of Twente, Enschede (Netherlands)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE D‐79110 Freiburg Germany
- Technische Universität Ilmenau (Germany)
Abstract Monolithic integrated photovoltaic‐driven electrochemical (PV‐EC) artificial photosynthesis is reported for unassisted CO 2 reduction. The PV‐EC structures employ triple junction photoelectrodes with a front mounted semitransparent catalyst layer as a photocathode. The catalyst layer is comprised of an array of microscale triangular metallic prisms that redirect incoming light toward open areas of the photoelectrode to reduce shadow losses. Full wave electromagnetic simulations of the prism array (PA) structure guide optimization of geometries and length scales. An integrated device is constructed with Ag catalyst prisms covering 35% of the surface area. The experimental device has close to 80% of the transmittance with a catalytic surface area equivalent 144% of the glass substrate area. Experimentally this photocathode demonstrates a direct solar‐to‐CO conversion efficiency of 5.9% with 50 h stability. Selective electrodeposition of Cu catalysts onto the surface of the Ag triangular prisms allows CO 2 conversion to higher value products enabling demonstration of a solar‐to‐C 2+ product efficiency of 3.1%. This design featuring structures that have a semitransparent catalyst layer on a PV‐EC cell is a general solution to light loss by shadowing for front surface mounted metal catalysts, and opens a route for the development of artificial photosynthesis based on this scalable design approach.
- Research Organization:
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan; National Cheng Kung University
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0021266; MOST 110-2628-E-006-005; MOST 110-2628-E-006-007; MOST 108-2112-M-006-021-MY3; 110-2124-M-006-004
- OSTI ID:
- 1976250
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1880871
- Journal Information:
- Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 12, Issue 36; ISSN 1614-6832
- Publisher:
- WileyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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