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Interface Engineering of Colloidal CdSe Quantum Dot Thin Films as Acid-Stable Photocathodes for Solar-Driven Hydrogen
1Shenzhen Engineering Lab of Flexible Transparent Conductive Films, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Graduate School , Harbin Institute of Technology , Shenzhen 518055 , China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|May 2, 2018
Summary
Colloidal semiconductor quantum dot (CQD) photocathodes show enhanced solar hydrogen production using a PEDOT:PSS/CdSe/Pt heterojunction. Atomic layer deposition of platinum significantly boosts photocurrent and stability for solar fuel applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Photocatalysis
Background:
- Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (CQDs) offer tunable properties for solar-driven hydrogen evolution.
- Developing efficient and stable photocathodes is crucial for solar fuel production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a novel thin-film heterojunction photocathode using CQDs for enhanced solar hydrogen evolution.
- To investigate the role of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for platinum (Pt) passivation and cocatalyst functions.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a PEDOT:PSS/CdSe/Pt heterojunction photocathode.
- Utilizing atomic layer deposition (ALD) for conformal Pt layer deposition.
- Performance evaluation in neutral and acidic aqueous solutions under AM-1.5G illumination.
Main Results:
- The PEDOT:PSS/CdSe/Pt photocathode achieved a photocurrent density of -1.08 mA/cm² at 0 V vs RHE in neutral solution, a 12-fold increase over pristine CdSe.
- ALD-grown Pt significantly improved stability, with only 8.3% degradation after 6h in acidic electrolyte compared to 80% for electrodeposited Pt.
- Enhanced performance attributed to reduced charge recombination and improved interfacial charge transfer.
Conclusions:
- Interface engineering with ALD-deposited Pt is a viable strategy for creating efficient and stable CQD-based photocathodes.
- This approach holds promise for advancing solar fuel production technologies.
- The interface engineering strategies can be applied to other colloidal semiconductors for photoelectrode development.
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