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Epitaxial Cubic Silicon Carbide Photocathodes for Visible-Light-Driven Water Splitting |
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| Authors: | Xiuxiu Han Steffen Heuser Dr Xili Tong Dr Nianjun Yang Prof Dr Xiang-Yun Guo Prof Dr Xin Jiang |
| Institution: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 030001 P. R. China
Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 P. R. China Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Siegen, Siegen, 57076 Germany;2. Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Siegen, Siegen, 57076 Germany;3. State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 030001 P. R. China;4. State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 030001 P. R. China Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 P. R. China School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164 P. R. China |
| Abstract: | Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) material feature a suitable bandgap and high resistance to photocorrosion. Thus, it has been emerged as a promising semiconductor for hydrogen evolution. Here, the relationship between the photoelectrochemical properties and the microstructures of different SiC materials is demonstrated. For visible-light-derived water splitting to hydrogen production, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline and epitaxial (001) 3C-SiC films are applied as the photocathodes. The epitaxial 3C-SiC film presents the highest photoelectrochemical activity for hydrogen evolution, because of its perfect (001) orientation, high phase purity, low resistance, and negative conduction band energy level. This finding offers a strategy to design SiC-based photocathodes with superior photoelectrochemical performances. |
| Keywords: | hydrogen evolution reaction photoelectrochemistry silicon carbide visible light water splitting |