Hydration deactivation mechanism of the 〈100〉 oriented cuprous oxide photocathodes in solar water splitting and the regenerated three-dimensional structure

Yang Li; Jiating Wu; Yuhe Zheng; Yajing Fan; Ting Bian; Xinyu Fan; Santana Vimbai Masendu; Junhua Xu; Zongping Shao

doi:10.1039/d3cp04652d

Hydration deactivation mechanism of the 〈100〉 oriented cuprous oxide photocathodes in solar water splitting and the regenerated three-dimensional structure

Yang Li, Jiating Wu, Yuhe Zheng, Yajing Fan, Ting Bian, Xinyu Fan, Santana Vimbai Masendu, Junhua Xu, Zongping Shao

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Photocorrosion is the most ticklish problem of cuprous oxide (Cu₂O), and it is widely assumed that the deactivation of Cu₂O photocathodes in solar water splitting is caused by spontaneous oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions. However, this work shows that 〈100〉-oriented Cu₂O photocathodes undergo a non-REDOX hydration deactivation mechanism. Briefly, water molecules are embedded in the Cu₂O crystals at low potential under illumination and produce amorphous CuOH, which can be dehydrated at high potential to heal the Cu-O-Cu bonds and regenerate foamed Cu₂O films with a three-dimensional skeleton structure. This study provides a new insight towards the protection and application of Cu₂O photocathodes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1625-1629
Number of pages	5
Journal	Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume	26
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cp04652d
State	Published - 13 Dec 2023
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Hydration deactivation mechanism of the 〈100〉 oriented cuprous oxide photocathodes in solar water splitting and the regenerated three-dimensional structure",

abstract = "Photocorrosion is the most ticklish problem of cuprous oxide (Cu2O), and it is widely assumed that the deactivation of Cu2O photocathodes in solar water splitting is caused by spontaneous oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions. However, this work shows that 〈100〉-oriented Cu2O photocathodes undergo a non-REDOX hydration deactivation mechanism. Briefly, water molecules are embedded in the Cu2O crystals at low potential under illumination and produce amorphous CuOH, which can be dehydrated at high potential to heal the Cu-O-Cu bonds and regenerate foamed Cu2O films with a three-dimensional skeleton structure. This study provides a new insight towards the protection and application of Cu2O photocathodes.",

author = "Yang Li and Jiating Wu and Yuhe Zheng and Yajing Fan and Ting Bian and Xinyu Fan and Masendu, {Santana Vimbai} and Junhua Xu and Zongping Shao",

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year = "2023",

month = dec,

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doi = "10.1039/d3cp04652d",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydration deactivation mechanism of the 〈100〉 oriented cuprous oxide photocathodes in solar water splitting and the regenerated three-dimensional structure

AU - Li, Yang

AU - Wu, Jiating

AU - Zheng, Yuhe

AU - Fan, Yajing

AU - Bian, Ting

AU - Fan, Xinyu

AU - Masendu, Santana Vimbai

AU - Xu, Junhua

AU - Shao, Zongping

PY - 2023/12/13

Y1 - 2023/12/13

N2 - Photocorrosion is the most ticklish problem of cuprous oxide (Cu2O), and it is widely assumed that the deactivation of Cu2O photocathodes in solar water splitting is caused by spontaneous oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions. However, this work shows that 〈100〉-oriented Cu2O photocathodes undergo a non-REDOX hydration deactivation mechanism. Briefly, water molecules are embedded in the Cu2O crystals at low potential under illumination and produce amorphous CuOH, which can be dehydrated at high potential to heal the Cu-O-Cu bonds and regenerate foamed Cu2O films with a three-dimensional skeleton structure. This study provides a new insight towards the protection and application of Cu2O photocathodes.

AB - Photocorrosion is the most ticklish problem of cuprous oxide (Cu2O), and it is widely assumed that the deactivation of Cu2O photocathodes in solar water splitting is caused by spontaneous oxidation-reduction (REDOX) reactions. However, this work shows that 〈100〉-oriented Cu2O photocathodes undergo a non-REDOX hydration deactivation mechanism. Briefly, water molecules are embedded in the Cu2O crystals at low potential under illumination and produce amorphous CuOH, which can be dehydrated at high potential to heal the Cu-O-Cu bonds and regenerate foamed Cu2O films with a three-dimensional skeleton structure. This study provides a new insight towards the protection and application of Cu2O photocathodes.

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U2 - 10.1039/d3cp04652d

DO - 10.1039/d3cp04652d

M3 - 文章

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AN - SCOPUS:85181821032

SN - 1463-9076

VL - 26

SP - 1625

EP - 1629

JO - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

JF - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

IS - 3

ER -

Hydration deactivation mechanism of the 〈100〉 oriented cuprous oxide photocathodes in solar water splitting and the regenerated three-dimensional structure

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