Crystal orientation-dependent etching and trapping in thermally-oxidised Cu₂O photocathodes for water splitting.

ABSTRACT: Ammonia solution etching was carried out on thermally-oxidised cuprous oxide (TO-Cu₂O) in photocathode devices for water splitting. The etched devices showed increased photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance compared to the unetched ones as well as improved reproducibility. -8.6 mA cm^-2 and -7 mA cm^-2 photocurrent density were achieved at 0 V and 0.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (V_RHE), respectively, in the champion sample with an onset potential of 0.92 V_RHE and a fill factor of 44%. An applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 3.6% at 0.56 V_RHE was obtained, which represents a new record for Cu₂O-based photocathode systems. Capacitance-based profiling studies showed a strong pinning effect from i

SUBMITTER: Niu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9116084 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature