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Network-like CuInS2 photocathode and modified with noble metal co-catalyst for photoelectrochemical water splitting

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Abstract

It is of great significance to explore new preparation methods and control the morphology and proportion of metal ions for the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting of ternary sulfide photoelectrode. In this paper, the network-like CuInS2 film photocathodes were firstly prepared by hydrothermal growth method. The effects of different [Cu2+]/[In3+] molar ratios and concentrations of growth solution on CuInS2 films were investigated in detail. The mechanism of the synthetic reaction was studied. The best PEC photocurrent density of the CuInS2 film photoelectrode is − 0.81 mA/cm2 at − 0.6 V versus RHE when the [Cu2+]/[In3+] molar ratio is 0.4, the growth solution concentration is 8 mmol/L CuCl2·2H2O, 20 mmol/L InCl3·4H2O and 60 mmol/L C2H5NS. For the purpose of further improving photoelectrochemical properties of CuInS2 thin films, the Pt co-catalyst was loaded. The synthesized CuInS2–Pt thin film yielded a photocurrent density for − 1.92 mA/cm2 at − 0.6 V versus RHE due to the fast photogenerated electrons capture ability of Pt co-catalyst. The method of constructing photoelectrode film and the co-catalyst mechanism contributes to a sensational way for PEC water splitting of sulfide.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Open Foundation of Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for High-efficient Utilization of Solar Energy (No. HBSKFZD2017001), National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51702092), Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2018CFB282) and Science Foundation of Hubei University of Technology (Grant No. BSQD2017065).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for High-efficiency Utilization of Solar Energy, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China

    Qijun Cai, Zhifeng Liu, Chonghao Ma, Zhengfu Tong & Changcun Han

  2. School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China

    Qijun Cai, Chonghao Ma, Zhengfu Tong & Changcun Han

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin, 300384, China

    Zhifeng Liu

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  1. Qijun Cai
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  2. Zhifeng Liu
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Correspondence to Zhifeng Liu.

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Cai, Q., Liu, Z., Ma, C. et al. Network-like CuInS2 photocathode and modified with noble metal co-catalyst for photoelectrochemical water splitting. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 20629–20638 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-0201-z

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