| Pacific Rim Symposium on Surfaces, Coatings and Interfaces (PacSurf 2018) | |
| Energy Harvesting & Storage | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session EH-TuP |
| Session: | Energy Harvesting and Storage Poster Session |
| Presenter: | Yong Zhu, Dalian University of Technology, China |
| Authors: | Y. Zhu, Dalian University of Technology, China F. Li, Dalian University of Technology, China L. Sun, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell (DS-PEC) water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen is a potential approach to realize the conversion solar energy to chemical energy efficiently. Ru(bda) (bda is 2,2`-bipyridine-6,6`-dicarboxylate) is one of the most efficient water oxidation catalysts in DS-PEC. Traditionally, Ru(bda) have been anchored onto the dye-sensitized photoanode by modifying phosphoric acid or carboxylic acid groups. These complexes can reduce the overpotentials of water oxidation and exhibit highest turnover. However, the efficiency of the entire system is inhibited due to the strong recombination effect of electrons injected into theTiO2 bulk on the photosensitizer and catalyst in the oxidized state. Herein, we have replaced the anchor group of the water oxidation catalysts Ru(bda) (bda is 2,2′bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylate) from phosphoric acid to pyridine. Time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy demonstrates that the pyridine anchor group have effect of inhibiting electron recombination. The photocurrent densities of 1.5-1.8 mA/cm2 were achieved and produced an incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) of 25.5% at 450 nm. Under pH=5.8 under 100mW/cm2 (>400nm) illumination.