NixSy Nanowalls/Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene Foam Is an Efficient Trifunctional Catalyst for Unassisted Artificial Photosynthesis. (19th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zou, Haiyuan; He, Bowen; Kuang, Panyong; Yu, Jiaguo; Fan, Ke
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 28:Number 13(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-01-19
• Subjects: artificial photosynthesis -- dye‐sensitized solar cells -- electrocatalytic water splitting -- nitrogen‐doped graphene foam -- NixSy; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201706917
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: Solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion through unassisted artificial photosynthesis (APS) devices is one of the promising and environmentally friendly strategies for sustainable development. However, the practical large‐scale application of the unassisted APS devices is impeded by the need for expensive noble metal‐based catalysts in photovoltaics and/or electrolyzers. Herein, well‐aligned 2D Ni x S y nanowalls (2D Ni x S y NWs) on a 3D nitrogen‐doped graphene foam (3D NGF) are synthesized and further employed it in unassisted APS. Due to the positive synergistic effect between the highly electrocatalytic activity of Ni x S y NW and excellent conductivity of NGF, this low cost material of (2D/3D) Ni x S y NW/NGF is highly efficient as a multifunctional catalyst in various applications: a counterelectrode for dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and a "bifunctional" electrocatalyst for oxygen and hydrogen evolution for electrocatalytic overall water splitting. Furthermore, three Ni x S y NW/NGF‐based DSSCs as a tandem cell for unassisted solar‐driven overall water splitting is connected, using Ni x S y NW/NGF itself on nickel foams as the anode and cathode. Impressively, such integrated photovoltaic‐electrolyzer APS device can achieve an STH efficiency of 3.2% with an excellent stability and low cost. This work opens an avenue to advanced multifunctional materials for the low‐cost and unassisted solar‐driven overall water splitting. Abstract : A trifunctional catalyst based on Ni x S y nanowalls (NWs) on nitrogen‐doped graphene foam (NGF) can be efficiently applied in dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and overall water splitting. An unassisted artificial photosynthesis device constructed by a Ni x S y NW/NGF‐based tandem DSSC‐electrolyzer gives a solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency of 3.2%.