Self-Biased Hybrid Piezoelectric-Photoelectrochemical Cell with Photocatalytic Functionalities

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• 作者：Chuan Fu Tan ; Wei Li Ong ; Ghim Wei Ho
• 刊名：ACS Nano
• 出版年：2015
• 出版时间：July 28, 2015
• 年：2015
• 卷：9
• 期：7
• 页码：7661-7670
• 全文大小：787K
• ISSN：1936-086X

文摘

Utilizing solar energy for environmental and energy remediations based on photocatalytic hydrogen (H₂) generation and water cleaning poses great challenges due to inadequate visible-light power conversion, high recombination rate, and intermittent availability of solar energy. Here, we report an energy-harvesting technology that utilizes multiple energy sources for development of sustainable operation of dual photocatalytic reactions. The fabricated hybrid cell combines energy harvesting from light and vibration to run a power-free photocatalytic process that exploits novel metal鈥搒emiconductor branched heterostructure (BHS) of its visible light absorption, high charge-separation efficiency, and piezoelectric properties to overcome the aforementioned challenges. The desirable characteristics of conductive flexible piezoelectrode in conjunction with pronounced light scattering of hierarchical structure originate intrinsically from the elaborate design yet facile synthesis of BHS. This self-powered photocatalysis system could potentially be used as H₂ generator and water treatment system to produce clean energy and water resources.