Storage of solar and other sources of renewable electricity may be enabled by the catalytic production of fuels such as H2 or reduced carbon-containing compounds via the electrochemical splitting of H2O or CO2, respectively. An attractive strategy to enable these types of challenging energy storing processes is the coupling of a robust electrocatalyst for H2 evolution or CO2 reduction with a photoelectrochemical (PEC) device or a conventional electrolyzer powered by a renewable source of current. To this end, we have developed a PEC assembly for the production of solar fuels by interfacing a triple-junction amorphous silicon photovoltaic with inexpensive cathode materials developed in our lab. These materials are efficient electrocatalysts that utilize the reductive equivalents derived from water splitting to drive CO2 fixation and liquid fuel production. In addition to highlighting the development and impressive activity of these electrocatalyst platforms, their integration into robust photocathode and PEC devices will be discussed.

Photoelectrochemical assemblies for the production of carbon-based fuels

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.