Optimizing light harvesting and carrier transport through control of structure and composition
The field of PEC solar fuel production began with the observation of water photo-oxidation on TiO2. Indeed, semiconducting metal oxides generally are attractive photoelectrodes for solar water splitting as the relatively high electronegativity of oxygen results in the formation of stable compounds based on O2– anions. However the identification of an ideal metal oxide photoelectrode materials remains a challenge. Given the vast number of possibilities, ternary and more complex multinary oxides hold much promise for future development. LIMNO works to rationally engineering the band gap in promising ternary and multinary oxides, and to develop preparation routes to control the structure and nature/concentration of defects in these materials. We use advanced purtabation and transient (photo)electrochemical analysis techniques to understand the processes of charge transport and interfacial charge transfer in operando in order to advance the performance of this promising class of semiconducting materials. See examples of our work below.