Paper EN+SS-FrM1
Hybrid Metal-Semiconductor Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Hydrogen Generation

Friday, October 22, 2010, 8:20 am, Room Mesilla

For the full utilization of intermittent alternative energy sources such as wind and solar energy, issues regarding energy storage must be addressed. An attractive solution is the production of a chemical fuel, allowing for both storage and transportation from so called “stranded” production sites. The electrochemical splitting of water to generate hydrogen allows for the production of such fuel, be it in a denser chemical form or H₂. Electrode materials for such an electrocatalytic process must have a high surface area, and be catalytically efficient and robust in order to be viable for such a process.

The research presented addresses the aforementioned challenges using two elegant, Los Alamos National Lab exclusive nanotechnologies: 1) combustion synthesis of conducting noble metal nanofoam scaffolding to serve as the cathode and 2) Polymer Assisted Deposition (PAD) of catalytically active films onto a conductive metal scaffold to functionalize the anode. The resulting foams have ultralow densities, controlled nanopore diameters, and rank with the highest surface area metals ever produced, making them ideal candidates for various catalytic applications. The deposition mechanism of PAD, as well as the high conductivity of the metal foam, enables the utilization of the entire interior surface of the foam for electrochemical reactions, exploiting the advantages of the thin film form of the coating while retaining the electrical advantages of a bulk metal electrode. Metallic copper foams have been coated with CIS-based thin-film absorber layers. These materials show photocurrent under illumination with 1.5 AM solar simulated light. Electrochemical water-splitting data will also be presented.