Toward Practical Photoelectrochemical Fuel Production

Photoelectrochemical water splitting technology, mimicking natural photosynthesis, stands out as one of the most promising technologies for solar hydrogen production. For this technology to become commercially viable, it must meet three critical criteria: efficiency, stability, and scalability. Notably, the solar-to-hydrogen conversion (STH) efficiency must reach at least 10%. Two primary strategies are key to achieving these goals. The first strategy involves enhancing the efficiency of stable inorganic materials such as TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, and BiVO₄. The second strategy focuses on stabilizing high-efficiency materials. In this presentation, I will explore both approaches, with particular emphasis on the latter. I will introduce methods for stabilizing efficient organic or inorganic-organic hybrid-based semiconductors possessing superior charge-transfer characteristics, lower band gap, and tunable energy levels. Moreover, I will discuss several strategies for scaling up photoelectrodes while minimizing losses in STH efficiency. Finally, I will extend these approaches to the production of other solar fuels, such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ammonia (NH₃).

References
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J.-W. Jang et al. “Bias-free solar hydrogen production at 19.8 mA cm⁻² using perovskite photocathode and lignocellulosic biomass.” Nat. Commun. 2022, 13, 5709
J.-W. Jang et al. “All-perovskite-based unassisted photoelectrochemical water splitting system for efficient, stable, and scalable solar hydrogen production.” Nature Energy 2024, 9, 272-284
J.-W. Jang et al. “Direct propylene epoxidation with oxygen by photo-electro-heterogeneous catalytic system.” Nature Catalysis 2022, 5,37
J.-W. Jang et al. “Bias-free high-performance solar NH₃ production by perovskite-based photocathode and in situ valorization of glycerol.” Nature Catalysis 2024, 7, 510–521