Abstract
Cu2 O is an ideal p-type material for photo-electrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution, although serious electron-hole recombination and photocorrosion restrict its further improvement for PEC activity. In this work, CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) self-assemble on the surface of Cu2 O octahedra, thus successfully forming a Cu2 O/CeO2 structure in which p-n heterojunctions and micro-mesocrystals (m-MCs) work together. The optimum Cu2 O/CeO2 composite, without the use of any cocatalyst, exhibits a fivefold higher photocurrent density (4.63 mA cm-2 at 0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode) than that of Cu2 O octahedra, which is better than most Cu2 O-based photocathodes without cocatalyst and even comparable with advanced Cu2 O-based photocathodes. The hydrogen production of the optimal Cu2 O/CeO2 (Faradaic efficiency of ∼100 %) is 17.5 times higher than that of pure Cu2 O octahedra, and the photocurrent shows almost no decay under the 12 h stability test. The delicately designed Cu2 O/CeO2 structure in this work provides reference and inspiration for the design of cathodes materials.
Published Version
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