A new photoelectrochemical system for solar hydrogen and electricity

July 5th, 2022

R&D Focus Areas:
Photochemical and photocatalytic processes, Nanomaterials, Electricity

Lead Organisation:
The University of Queensland

Partners:
Tokyo University of Science

Status:
Completed

Start date:
February 2019

Completion date:
February 2022

Key contacts:
Professor Lianzhou Wang: l.wang@uq.edu.au
Dr Yang Bai: y.bai@uq.edu.au
ProfessorAkihiko Kudo: a-kudo@rs.kagu.tus.ac.j

Funding:
Australian Research Council

Project total cost:
AUD$484,000.00 cash plus AUD$306,132 in-kind contribution.

Project summary description:
This project aims to develop a new integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) system for converting solar energy into hydrogen and electricity simultaneously. The key concept is to design innovative advanced materials which will be integrated into PEC devices with capacitor function for both solar fuel production and electricity storage.

This project expects to generate new knowledge in understanding the fundamental mechanism of developing functional materials for more efficient solar energy conversion and storage. Expected outcomes include prototypes of the next generation advanced materials and technologies for sustainable energy utilisation systems for converting solar energy into hydrogen and electricity.

Related publications and key links:
Zhang, Chengxi, Lu, Yan-Na, Wu, Wu-Qiang and Wang, Lianzhou (2021). Recent progress of minimal voltage losses for high-performance perovskite photovoltaics. Nano Energy, 81 105634, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105634

Hu, Yuxiang, Ding, Shanshan, Chen, Peng, Seaby, Trent, Hou, Jingwei and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Flexible solar-rechargeable energy system. Energy Storage Materials, 32, 356-376. doi: 10.1016/j.ensm.2020.06.028

Chen, Peng, Bai, Yang and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Minimizing voltage losses in perovskite solar cells. Small Structures, 2 (1), 2000050. doi: 10.1002/sstr.202000050

Ghasemi, Mehri, Zhang, Lei, Yun, Jung‐Ho, Hao, Mengmeng, He, Dongxu, Chen, Peng, Bai, Yang, Lin, Tongen, Xiao, Mu, Du, Aijun, Lyu, Miaoqiang and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Dualiondiffusion induced degradation in leadfree Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite solar cells. Advanced Functional Materials, 30 (42) 2002342, 2002342. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202002342

Peerakiatkhajohn, Piangjai, Yun, Jung-Ho, Butburee, Teera, Chen, Hongjun, Thaweesak, Supphasin, Lyu, Miaoqiang, Wang, Songcan and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Bifunctional photoelectrochemical process for humic acid degradation and hydrogen production using multi-layered p-type Cu2O photoelectrodes with plasmonic Au@TiO2. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 402 123533, 123533. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123533

Yu, Shouwu, Zhao, Zewen, Zhao, Jinjin, Xiao, Shujuan, Shi, Yan, Gao, Cunfa, Su, Xiao, Hu, Yuxiang, Zhao, Zhisheng , Wang, Jie and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Research progress in novel in-situ integrative photovoltaic-storage tandem cells. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 35 (6), 623-632. doi: 10.15541/jim20190342

Wang, Songcan, He, Tianwei, Chen, Peng, Du, Aijun, Ostrikov, Kostya, Huang, Wei and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). In situ formation of oxygen vacancies achieving near-complete charge separation in planar BiVO4 photoanodes. Advanced Materials, 32 (26) 2001385, 2001385. doi: 10.1002/adma.202001385

Chen, Peng, Wang, Zhiliang, Wang, Songcan, Lyu, Miaoqiang, Hao, Mengmeng, Ghasemi, Mehri, Xiao, Mu, Yun, Jung-Ho, Bai, Yang and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Luminescent europium-doped titania for efficiency and UV-stability enhancement of planar perovskite solar cells. Nano Energy, 69 104392, 104392. doi: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104392

Monny, Sabiha Akter, Wang, Zhiliang, Lin, Tongen, Chen, Peng, Luo, Bin and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Designing efficient Bi2Fe4O9 photoanodes via bulk and surface defect engineering. Chemical Communications, 56 (65), 9376-9379. doi: 10.1039/d0cc04455e

Monny, Sabiha Akter, Zhang, Lei, Wang, Zhiliang, Luo, Bin, Konarova, Muxina, Du, Aijun and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Fabricating highly efficient heterostructured CuBi2O4 photocathodes for unbiased water splitting. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 8 (5), 2498-2504. doi: 10.1039/c9ta10975g

Zhang, Yu, Hu, Han, Wang, Zhiliang, Luo, Bin, Xing, Wei, Li, Li, Yan, Zifeng and Wang, Lianzhou (2019). Boosting the performance of hybrid supercapacitors through redox electrolyte-mediated capacity balancing. Nano Energy, 68 104226, 104226. doi: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104226

Hu, Yuxiang, Bai, Yang, Luo, Bin, Wang, Songcan, Hu, Han, Chen, Peng, Lyu, Miaoqiang, Shapter, Joe, Rowan, Alan and Wang, Lianzhou (2019). A portable and efficient solarrechargeable battery with ultrafast photocharge/discharge rate. Advanced Energy Materials, 9 (28) 1900872, 1900872. doi: 10.1002/aenm.201900872

Wang, Songcan, Liu, Gang and Wang, Lianzhou (2019). Crystal facet engineering of photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Chemical Reviews, 119 (8), 5192-5247. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00584

Wang, Songcan, Wang, Xin, Liu, Boyan, Guo, Zhaochen, Ostrikov, Kostya (Ken), Wang, Lianzhou, and Huang, Wei (2021). Vacancy defect engineering of BiVO4 photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Nanoscale 13 (43) 17989-18009. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1nr05691c

Wang, Songcan, He, Tianwei, Yun, Jung-Ho, Hu, Yuxiang, Xiao, Mu, Du, Aijun, and Wang, Lianzhou (2018). New iron-cobalt oxide catalysts promoting BiVO4 films for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Advanced Functional Materials 28 (34) 1802685. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201802685

Hao, Mengmeng, Bai, Yang, Zeiske, Stefan, Ren, Long, Liu, Junxian, Yuan, Yongbo, Zarrabi, Nasim, Cheng, Ningyan, Ghasemi, Mehri, Chen, Peng, Lyu, Miaoqiang, He, Dongxu, Yun, Jung-Ho, Du, Yi, Wang, Yun, Ding, Shanshan, Armin, Ardalan, Meredith, Paul, Liu, Gang, Cheng, Hui-Ming, and Wang, Lianzhou (2020). Ligand-assisted cation-exchange engineering for high-efficiency colloidal Cs1−xFAxPbI3 quantum dot solar cells with reduced phase segregation. Nature Energy (1) 79-88. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-019-0535-7

Higher degree studies supported:
Two PhD students were supported from this project.

 

July 2022