Photo-assisted electrodeposition of MoSx from ionic liquids on organic-functionalized silicon photoelectrodes for H2 generation
By Redman, Daniel W. and Kim, Hark Jin and Stevenson, Keith J. and Rose, Michael J.
Published in J. Mater. Chem. A
The Royal Society of Chemistry
2016
Abstract
This work reports on the synergistic utility of ionic liquid-based, photo-assisted electrodeposition of MoSx onto organic-functionalized silicon photolelectrodes for dihydrogen (H2) evolution under 1-sun illumination. The surface linker 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl covalently attached to Si(111) enhances conductivity at the substrate|electrolyte interface (impedance spectroscopy) and provides improved physico-chemical support for MoSx deposition (SEM, Raman, PEC-deposition, XPS), to generate a functional composite device that results in 0.33% efficiency for solar [rightward arrow] H2 conversion. We report a new method of ionic liquid-based MoSx deposition that avoids complications in analogous aqueous procedures and facilitates the deposition of a uniform catalytic film. This work provides a generalized framework for the optimization of non-platinum catalysts for solar [rightward arrow] H2 conversion.