光电化学(PEC)分解水制氢将太阳能转化成化学能,被认为有望替代化石能源而成为人类获取能源的最主要方式之一,受到人们的普遍关注。通过各种方法寻找和研究有应用潜力的半导体材料是该领域目前的重要研究方向。本文系统地评述了国内外最受关注的一些半导体材料在光电化学分解水制氢方面的研究进展,主要包括TiO2,α-Fe2O3,BiVO4,WO3和TaON;总结了改善光阳极半导体光电化学性能的策略,包括元素掺杂、形貌控制、表面修饰(包覆钝化层与担载共催化剂)和构建异质结。
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting converts solar energy into chemical energy which is stored in form of chemical bonds (H2 and 02) with the aid of an artificial photocatalyst. As one of the most fundamental ways to address the increasing global demand for energy, PEC solar energy conversion has been intensely investigated over the last four decades. Recently, many efforts have been made to find appropriate materials and improve the present promising conductors that can transform solar energy to produce chemical fuels. From the principle of PEC water splitting, this paper systematically reviews recent advances in some promising photoelectrode materials for PEC water splitting, including TiO2 , α-Fe2O3 , BiVO4 , WO3 and TaON. Moreover, the recent progresses in improving PEC performance of the photoelectrode materials by some typical strategies are critically detailed and compared, including. ( 1 ) Element doping for enhancing visible light absorption in the wide bandgap semiconductor and increasing the donor density; (2) morphology control for increasing the specified surface area and shortening the average distance that photogenerated holes travel toward surface of photoelectrode; (3) surface treatments for passivating surface state by coating passivation overlayers and reducing the overpotential through loading cocatalysts; (4) heterojunction for enlarging light absorption and improving electron-hole separation. Finally, research trends in PEC ceils for solar hydrogen production are discussed.