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Wireless Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Using Triple-Junction Solar Cell Protected by TiO2

Wednesday 24 Feb 21

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting devices replace electrical contacts in a solid-state solar cell with a solid/liquid junction to improve the solar-to-H2conversion efficiency and reduce system cost. The wireless configuration can fully use the advantage of the PEC by removing all electrical contacts; however, the wired configuration with the electrical contact on its back side has been widely studied to facilitate device characterization.

In this study, a wireless PEC water splitting device made of a commercially available III-V triple-junction solar cell protected by transparent TiO2 is demonstrated with high efficiency and stability. The wireless device produces both H2 and O2 products in a stoichiometric ratio in 13% of solar-to-H2 conversion efficiency over ∼12 h, and the total amount of H2 product during the lifetime of the device reaches 51 mL/cm2, which is the highest value reported from wireless PEC devices to the best of our knowledge.

Choongman Moon, Brian Seger, Peter Christian Kjærgaard Vesborg, Ole Hansen, Ib Chorkendorff

Cell Reports Physical Science. Volume 2, Issue 2, 100340

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