Nanocomposites based on 1D semiconducting materials modified with MXene and ALD for efficient hydrogen production using photoelectrochemical water splitting process

Instytucja nadzorująca: Narodowe Centrum Nauki

Kierownik projektu: dr hab. Igor Iatsunksyi, prof. UAM

Budżet: 2 018 400,00 PLN

Data rozpoczęcia: 07.2021

Czas trwania: 48 miesięcy

Numer umowy: UMO-2020/38/B/ST5/00176

One of the challenges facing humanity today is the production of clean energy from renewable sources. The idea of photoelectrochemical cells is very similar to that of photovoltaic solar cells - a semiconductor material absorbs sunlight, but in a PEC the radiant energy is converted into chemical energy. The resulting electron-hole pair reacts with the electrolyte to produce hydrogen and oxygen. A photon absorbed in an n-type semiconductor produces an electron and a hole.

The hole oxidises the water to produce oxygen - a process that takes place at the photoanode - while the electron reduces the water at the cathode to produce hydrogen.The anode plays a key role in a PEC cell, so certain criteria should guide the choice of material. The photoanode should

- have an energy gap of 1.5-3.0 eV, which on the one hand corresponds to the maximum absorption in the vis range and on the other hand is sufficient for the photoelectrolysis process,

- have a surface characterised by high resistance to corrosion and photocorrosion in aqueous electrolyte solutions and stability during operation in the cell,- be an n-type semiconductor,- be characterised by fast charge transport to the electrolyte and high charge mobility in the photoanode volume,

- have a negative VFB (flat band potential) with respect to the electrochemical scale.

The main objective of the project is to fabricate and characterise a material structure based on 1D semiconductor (Si, ZnO, TiO2 nanorods)/Mxene/metal oxide (TiO2, ZnO) nanocomposites for photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar water splitting/dissociation. MXenes phases represent a young and only tentatively investigated group of nanomaterials with 2D crystal structures, having properties intermediate between metals and ceramics.To enhance the photoelectrochemical/photocatalytic activity, the surface of the nanocomposite is modified with TiO2, ZnO and TiO2/ZnO nanolayers using ALD. In order to obtain fundamental knowledge on this type of new nanocomposites, it is necessary to carry out a detailed characterisation of their chemical, electro-optical and photoelectrochemical properties and to find their interrelations.

In order to obtain fundamental knowledge on this type of new nanocomposites, it is necessary to carry out a detailed characterisation of their chemical, electro-optical and photoelectrochemical properties and to find their interrelations. To achieve the objectives, the following activities will be carried out:

- Design and fabrication of 1D semiconductor/MXene/metal oxide nanocomposites;

- Determination of the structural parameters and study of the optical and electrical properties of the fabricated nanocomposites;

- Study of the photoelectrochemical properties of 1D semiconductor/MXene/metal oxide nanocomposites;- Analysis of the PEC performance of the nanocomposites.

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