Long-term durable silicon photocathode protected by a thin Al2O3/SiOx layer for photoelectrochemical

Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2(9) 2928-2933

https://doi.org/10.1039/C3TA14443G

Mi Jin Choi, Jin-Young Jung, Min-Joon Park, Jae-Won Song, Jung-Ho Lee* and Jin Ho Bang*

Abstract

The long-term steady production of H2 is vital for p-Si photocathodes. However, the oxidation of a Si photoelectrode substantially deteriorates its performance, over time. This study demonstrates that a thin Al2O3 layer deposited over the Si can prevent oxidation and also reduce overpotential, via a surface passivation effect.