Solar water splitting in a molecular photoelectrochemical cell

Abstract

SignificanceSolar water splitting into H2and O2with visible light has been achieved by a molecular assembly. The dye sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cell configuration combined with core–shell structures with a thin layer of TiO2on transparent, nanostructured transparent conducting oxides (TCO), with the outer TiO2shell formed by atomic layer deposition. In this configuration, excitation and injection occur rapidly and efficiently with the injected electrons collected by the nanostructured TCO on the nanosecond timescale where they are collected by the planar conductive electrode and transmitted to the cathode for H2production. This allows multiple oxidative equivalents to accumulate at a remote catalyst where water oxidation catalysis occurs.