Cu₂O photocathodes with band-tail states assisted hole transport for standalone solar water splitting.

ABSTRACT: Photoelectrochemical water splitting provides a promising solution for harvesting and storing solar energy. As the best-performing oxide photocathode, the Cu₂O photocathode holds the performance rivaling that of many photovoltaic semiconductor-based photocathodes through continuous research and development. However, the state-of-the-art Cu₂O photocathode employs gold as the back contact which can lead to considerable electron-hole recombination. Here, we present a Cu₂O photocathode with overall improved performance, enabled by using solution-processed CuSCN as hole transport material. Two types of CuSCN with different structures are synthesized and carefully compared. Furthermore, detailed characterizations reveal that hole transport between Cu₂O

SUBMITTER: Pan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6965123 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature