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Highly stable photoelectrochemical water splitting and hydrogen generation using a double-band InGaN/GaN core/shell
B AlOtaibi1, H P T Nguyen, S Zhao
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University , 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
Abstract:
We report on the first demonstration of stable photoelectrochemical water splitting and hydrogen generation on a double-band photoanode in acidic solution (hydrogen bromide), which is achieved by InGaN/GaN core/shell nanowire arrays grown on Si substrate using catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy. The nanowires are doped n-type using Si to reduce the surface depletion region and increase current conduction. Relatively high incident-photon-to-current-conversion efficiency (up to ~27%) is measured under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. Under simulated sunlight illumination, steady evolution of molecular hydrogen is further demonstrated.
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