Synthesis and characterization of anodic multi-component/gradient WO3 layers for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution

NCN Project - SONATA 19 

Duration: 2024-2027

Project coordinator: Karolina Syrek

      

One of the most important challenges facing humanity today is to provide a clean and renewable energy source. Hydrogen energy can serve as a highly energy-dense fuel with clean combustion byproducts. Currently, most non-renewable sources are used for hydrogen production, such as natural gas and coal reformation, coke ovens, chlor-alkali process, and others. An environmentally friendly approach includes hydrogen generation from water in photocatalytic, electrochemical, or photoelectrochemical (PEC) processes. 

The key element in PEC cells is the material from which the photoelectrode is made. Despite extensive studies on new materials for photoanodes performed over the years to enhance the solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion yield in water splitting, several challenges persist. These include issues related to solar energy absorption, separation efficiency of light-induced charge carriers, and long-term chemical stability. One possible strategy to solve the abovementioned problems is the design of nanostructured, gradient-doped photoelectrodes. The proposed solution within the project is to obtain layers of anodic tungsten oxide doped with transition metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) with a precisely defined doping profile across the material thickness. Such structure of the electrode is intended to improve the absorption of sunlight and charge separation, which will result in higher STH conversion efficiency.

Therefore, this project aims to develop and optimize the electrochemical method for the fabrication of photoactive single- and multi-component tungsten oxide layers with a gradient composition for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production. Furthermore, an important objective is to comprehend the mechanism of ion incorporation into anodic tungsten oxide film during in-situ doping. This involves undertaking systematic characterization of morphology, composition, optical, electrochemical, semiconducting, spectroelectrochemical, and photoelectrochemical properties of the newly developed photoactive materials.

Investigators
Krzysztof Cichoń
Ewa Nowak

The application for funding for this project was supported by the Excellence Initiative programme – Jagiellonian University as part of the Young Labs grant.