Surface Fe vacancy defects on haematite and their role in light-induced water splitting in artificial photosynthesis

The facile synthesis of highly active and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts to catalyze water splitting is attractive but challenging. Herein, we report the electrodeposition of Pt-decorated Ni(OH)2/CeO2 (PNC) hybrid as an efficient and robust bifunctional electrocatalyst. The graphite-supported PNC catalyst delivers superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities over the benchmark Pt/C and RuO2, respectively. For overall water electrolysis, the PNC hybrid only requires a cell voltage of 1.45 V at 10 mA cm−2 and sustains over 85 h at 1000 mA cm−2. The remarkable HER/OER performances are attributed to the superhydrophilicity and multiple effects of PNC, in which Ni(OH)2 and CeO2 accelerate HER on Pt due to promoted water dissociation and strong electronic interaction, while the electron-pulling Ce cations facilitate the generation of high-valence Ni OER-active species. These results suggest the promising application of PNC for H2 production from water electrolysis.

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Tungsten-doped Ni–Co phosphides with multiple catalytic sites as efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/c9ta03944a ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (28) ◽

pp. 16859-16866 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Shan-Shan Lu ◽

Li-Ming Zhang ◽

Yi-Wen Dong ◽

Jia-Qi Zhang ◽

Xin-Tong Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reaction Kinetics ◽

Hydrogen Evolution ◽

Water Splitting ◽

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction ◽

Alkaline Media ◽

Water Dissociation ◽

Overall Water Splitting ◽

Catalytic Sites ◽

Additional Water ◽

Dissociation Step

The design of electrocatalysts including precious and nonprecious metals for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media remains challenging due to the sluggish reaction kinetics caused by the additional water dissociation step.

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Non-oxide semiconductors for artificial photosynthesis: Progress on photoelectrochemical water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction

Nano Today ◽

10.1016/j.nantod.2019.100830 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

pp. 100830 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jianyong Feng ◽

Huiting Huang ◽

Shicheng Yan ◽

Wenjun Luo ◽

Tao Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Water Splitting ◽

Artificial Photosynthesis ◽

Carbon Dioxide Reduction ◽

Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting ◽

Oxide Semiconductors

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Artificial photosynthesis: understanding water splitting in nature

Interface Focus ◽

10.1098/rsfs.2015.0009 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 20150009 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Nicholas Cox ◽

Dimitrios A. Pantazis ◽

Frank Neese ◽

Wolfgang Lubitz

Keyword(s):

Water Splitting ◽

Artificial Photosynthesis ◽

Model Systems ◽

Structural Flexibility ◽

X Ray Crystallography ◽

Activated State ◽

Close Proximity ◽

Gap Project ◽

Additional Water ◽

Formation Step

In the context of a global artificial photosynthesis (GAP) project, we review our current work on nature's water splitting catalyst. In a recent report (Cox et al . 2014 Science 345, 804–808 ( doi:10.1126/science.1254910 )), we showed that the catalyst—a Mn 4 O 5 Ca cofactor—converts into an ‘activated’ form immediately prior to the O–O bond formation step. This activated state, which represents an all Mn IV complex, is similar to the structure observed by X-ray crystallography but requires the coordination of an additional water molecule. Such a structure locates two oxygens, both derived from water, in close proximity, which probably come together to form the product O 2 molecule. We speculate that formation of the activated catalyst state requires inherent structural flexibility. These features represent new design criteria for the development of biomimetic and bioinspired model systems for water splitting catalysts using first-row transition metals with the aim of delivering globally deployable artificial photosynthesis technologies.

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