April 22 - 26, 2024
Seattle, Washington
May 7 - 9, 2024 (Virtual)

Event Supporters

2024 MRS Spring Meeting
EN05.01.01

Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction: The Spotlight on The Light Absorber

When and Where

Apr 22, 2024
8:30am - 9:00am
Room 335, Level 3, Summit

Presenter(s)

Co-Author(s)

Francesca Toma1,2

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon1,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2

Abstract

Francesca Toma1,2

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon1,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2
Light-driven CO2 reduction into chemicals is considered as a promising way to meet carbon neutral targets. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) CO<sub>2</sub> reduction has attracted significant attention as a prevailing way to store intermittent solar energy in fuels and chemicals as well as closing the chemical carbon cycle. Unfortunately, thermodynamically viable photocathode materials for this process favor hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thus leading to either insufficient activity or selectivity for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Besides the thermodynamic requirement, the semiconductor/electrolyte interface also plays a pivotal role in defining the performance of photoelectrodes, which can directly affect light driven CO2RR efficiency and determine the product selectivity.<br/>Here, we show few examples of how light absorber materials can be used in integrated photoelectrochemical cells or when directly interfaced with the electrolyte for CO2RR. Specifically, we show how one can improve the stability and performance of photoelectrodes for PEC CO2R in systems that use Cu<sub>2</sub>O or halide perovskite materials. In addition, we will discuss how ZnTe can enable photo-generated charge carrier transfer, but also acted as electrocatalyst for boosting carbon product selectivity and suppressing HER. Our work demonstrates that the fundamental understanding of the processes at the photoelectrode/electrolyte interface allows the systematic improvement of photoelectrode stability of CO2RR selectivity.

Keywords

autonomous research | perovskites

Symposium Organizers

Demetra Achilleos, University College Dublin
Virgil Andrei, University of Cambridge
Robert Hoye, University of Oxford
Katarzyna Sokol, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Symposium Support

Bronze
Angstrom Engineering Inc.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Session Chairs

Demetra Achilleos
Virgil Andrei

In this Session