Toward practical photoelectrochemical water splitting and CO2 reduction using earth-abundant materials

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) fuel generation from water splitting and CO2 reduction (CO2R) utilizing solar energy holds immense potential to solve the current energy and environmental issues. In the past decades, numerous studies have been devoted to this fast-growing research field, and it is essential to develop efficient photoelectrodes with earth-abundant materials for the practical application of PEC systems. A thorough review of earth-abundant materials and associated devices for PEC fuel generation is beneficial to uncover the inherent obstacles and pave the way for future research. Herein, we summarize the recent progress of earth-abundant light-absorbers and cocatalysts in the PEC systems. The unbiased configurations and scaling-up strategies of PEC devices using earth-abundant materials are examined. A comparison between PEC water splitting and CO2R is carried out to promote better understanding of the design principles for practical materials and devices. Last, the prospects on advanced materials, underlying mechanisms, and reaction systems of PEC water splitting and CO2R are proposed.