A Room Temperature Electrodeposition Method to Develop High Performance Metal-Chalcogenide Nanowire Array-Based Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Device for Solar Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has emerged as a significant and promising technique for the generation of low-cost, highly efficient, and sustainable hydrogen(H2) fuel. Currently, PEC hydrogen production has been successfully demonstrated on a laboratory scale. However, the commercial viability of PECs depends critically on the cost of H2 produced by the PECs, which is affected by the cost of PEC construction. Here we consider electrodeposition as a promising method to fabricate multijunction PEC cells because this is an inexpensive solvent-based technique operated at low temperature with the ability to control the film thickness by varying the deposition potential and charge passed which can be optimized to perform like other matured and expensive vapor-based deposition techniques functioning at high temperatures.In this research work, we report a room temperature, low-cost electrodeposition method to synthesize metal chalcogenide semiconductor thin films and nanowire arrays in superstrate configuration and demonstrate its applicability for solar hydrogen production. Specifically, the talk will address the effect of electrodeposition parameters and post-treatment on observed photocurrent and photovoltage responses. By optimizing the deposition potential and deposition charge we were able to achieve photocurrent densities exceeding 15 mA cm-2 for thin films and nanowire arrays when tested using regenerative redox couples.Finally, the talk will cover the aspects of developing a buried junction PV/PEC using electrodeposited chalcogenide semiconductors for solar hydrogen production.