Platinum-free photoelectrochemical water splitting

Hydrogen can be produced by photoelectrochemical water splitting in the presence of S2-/SO32- sacrificial agent by using a Cu2S electrocatalyst grown on brass by chemical treatment in HCl and polysulfide solution. Photoelectrochemical behavior of Cu2S/brass was equivalent to that of Pt nanoparticles mixed with carbon black and deposited on a carbon cloth electrode, i.e. the electrocatalyst typically used in fuel cells and electrolyzers. Thus photoelectrochemical water splitting can be achieved in a Pt-free device. The photoanode was made of nanocrystalline titania on FTO sensitized by quantum dots. Combined ZnS/CdSe/CdS quantum dots were by far more effective for hydrogen production than single-component CdS sensitizer. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.