In Situ Spectrospecopy Investigation of the Surface-Interface Charge-Transfer Process over Tailored Nano-Structured Based PEC Fuel Cells for Solar Energy Harvesting and Conversions

Abstract

Solar energy induced catalytic reactions allow solar energy to be used directly in sunlight-to-chemical energy conversions. Many scientific progress have been made in solar energy utilization and conversions, whereas, scientists from all over the world claimed that there are still many problems need to be further addressed including how to further enhance the solar energy utilization & conversion efficiency etc. The detail micro-interface process, redox mechanism, charge-carrier transfer behavior and active species actions need to be further studied. Following all of these concerns, series of multifunctional complex oxides with hetero-junctions have been well designed in our group towards solar energy utilization and conversion process via photo-induced chemical process, and different transient physical techniques including in situ EPR, in situ SPV and transient laser flash photolysis etc. have also been used to elucidate the interfacial photo-induced redox process and charge-carrier behaviors. We found that hierarchical nanostructured assemblies can be engineered to tailor the properties of external fields modulated and/or light harvesting assemblies. The crystal-, micro- and surface-interface structure could be tailored by utilizing various synthesis strategies, which would incur the nanomaterials with novel PEC/PC properties. Furthermore, combined in - situ spectroscopic characterization could provide more detail structural information and redox process over micro-interface, which would be beneficial for design efficient solar and energy conversion based materials at molecular utilization and/or atomic level. The tailored hierarchical nanomaterials may find novel applications in multidisciplinary fields.