Catalysts for solar-driven water splitting

Abstract

We are working on heterogeneous inorg. catalysts that could be part of scalable solar fuel devices. We have found that materials such as Ni-Mo nanopowders and metal phosphide nanocrystals have catalytic efficiencies near that of platinum for redn. of protons in aq. solns. A major challenge is to find scalable materials that can be employed as active catalysts in integrated photoanodes for prodn. of oxygen from water, as required for the generation of protons and electrons for combination at photocathodes. We have found that mixed-metal nanosheet hydroxides made by pulsed laser ablation of precursors in water are very active water oxidn. catalysts. We are working on the structures and mechanisms of these nanosheet materials to aid in the design and construction of more efficient and robust integrated photoanodes for water splitting.