Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Photocathodes with a Grown-In CuxS Catalyst for Solar Water Splitting

Byungwoo Kim; Gi Soon Park; Yun Jeong Hwang; Da Hye Won; Woong Kim; Dong Ki Lee; Byoung Koun Min

doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816

Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ Photocathodes with a Grown-In Cu_xS Catalyst for Solar Water Splitting

Byungwoo Kim, Gi Soon Park, Yun Jeong Hwang, Da Hye Won, Woong Kim, Dong Ki Lee, Byoung Koun Min

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As CuInGa-based chalcopyrite photocathodes suffer from poor hydrogen evolution activity, n-type overlayers and hydrogen evolution catalysts (HECs) need to be deposited on the film surface to drive surface band bending and reduce the overpotential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we present a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGSSe) photocathode with grown-in Cu_xS HECs enabling solar water splitting without the deposition of additional n-type overlayers and HECs. The controlled two-step chalcogenization using a Cu-rich CuInGa precursor film resulted in the natural formation of the Cu_xS phase at the CIGSSe film surface and an increase in S content by substituting Se. Electrochemical water reduction tests elucidated that the naturally formed Cu_xS alters the surface state of CIGSSe and reduces the overpotential for HER. Also, the S incorporation allows fine-tuning to make the CIGSSe band gap favorable for solar water splitting. Consequently, the CIGSSe photocathode showed -25.7 mA·cm^-2 photocurrent density and 3 h photostability for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2937-2944
Number of pages	8
Journal	ACS Energy Letters
Volume	4
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816
Publication status	Published - 2019 Dec 13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry (miscellaneous)
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Materials Chemistry

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816

Cite this

@article{5966bb30276f45a7a690f662fbefae06,

title = "Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Photocathodes with a Grown-In CuxS Catalyst for Solar Water Splitting",

abstract = "As CuInGa-based chalcopyrite photocathodes suffer from poor hydrogen evolution activity, n-type overlayers and hydrogen evolution catalysts (HECs) need to be deposited on the film surface to drive surface band bending and reduce the overpotential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we present a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe) photocathode with grown-in CuxS HECs enabling solar water splitting without the deposition of additional n-type overlayers and HECs. The controlled two-step chalcogenization using a Cu-rich CuInGa precursor film resulted in the natural formation of the CuxS phase at the CIGSSe film surface and an increase in S content by substituting Se. Electrochemical water reduction tests elucidated that the naturally formed CuxS alters the surface state of CIGSSe and reduces the overpotential for HER. Also, the S incorporation allows fine-tuning to make the CIGSSe band gap favorable for solar water splitting. Consequently, the CIGSSe photocathode showed -25.7 mA·cm-2 photocurrent density and 3 h photostability for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.",

author = "Byungwoo Kim and Park, {Gi Soon} and Hwang, {Yun Jeong} and Won, {Da Hye} and Woong Kim and Lee, {Dong Ki} and Min, {Byoung Koun}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Energy Technology Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant (No. 20163010012570) funded by the Korean Government. This work was also partially supported by the program of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). We thank Dr. Chaehwan Jeong of the Applied Optics & Energy R&D group at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) for helping with the TRPL measurement. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 American Chemical Society.",

year = "2019",

month = dec,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

pages = "2937--2944",

journal = "ACS Energy Letters",

issn = "2380-8195",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Photocathodes with a Grown-In CuxS Catalyst for Solar Water Splitting

AU - Kim, Byungwoo

AU - Park, Gi Soon

AU - Hwang, Yun Jeong

AU - Won, Da Hye

AU - Kim, Woong

AU - Lee, Dong Ki

AU - Min, Byoung Koun

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Energy Technology Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant (No. 20163010012570) funded by the Korean Government. This work was also partially supported by the program of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). We thank Dr. Chaehwan Jeong of the Applied Optics & Energy R&D group at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) for helping with the TRPL measurement. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 American Chemical Society.

PY - 2019/12/13

Y1 - 2019/12/13

N2 - As CuInGa-based chalcopyrite photocathodes suffer from poor hydrogen evolution activity, n-type overlayers and hydrogen evolution catalysts (HECs) need to be deposited on the film surface to drive surface band bending and reduce the overpotential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we present a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe) photocathode with grown-in CuxS HECs enabling solar water splitting without the deposition of additional n-type overlayers and HECs. The controlled two-step chalcogenization using a Cu-rich CuInGa precursor film resulted in the natural formation of the CuxS phase at the CIGSSe film surface and an increase in S content by substituting Se. Electrochemical water reduction tests elucidated that the naturally formed CuxS alters the surface state of CIGSSe and reduces the overpotential for HER. Also, the S incorporation allows fine-tuning to make the CIGSSe band gap favorable for solar water splitting. Consequently, the CIGSSe photocathode showed -25.7 mA·cm-2 photocurrent density and 3 h photostability for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.

AB - As CuInGa-based chalcopyrite photocathodes suffer from poor hydrogen evolution activity, n-type overlayers and hydrogen evolution catalysts (HECs) need to be deposited on the film surface to drive surface band bending and reduce the overpotential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we present a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe) photocathode with grown-in CuxS HECs enabling solar water splitting without the deposition of additional n-type overlayers and HECs. The controlled two-step chalcogenization using a Cu-rich CuInGa precursor film resulted in the natural formation of the CuxS phase at the CIGSSe film surface and an increase in S content by substituting Se. Electrochemical water reduction tests elucidated that the naturally formed CuxS alters the surface state of CIGSSe and reduces the overpotential for HER. Also, the S incorporation allows fine-tuning to make the CIGSSe band gap favorable for solar water splitting. Consequently, the CIGSSe photocathode showed -25.7 mA·cm-2 photocurrent density and 3 h photostability for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075616710&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816

DO - 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b01816

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85075616710

SN - 2380-8195

VL - 4

SP - 2937

EP - 2944

JO - ACS Energy Letters

JF - ACS Energy Letters

IS - 12

ER -