Unassisted photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction by employing III–V photoelectrode with 15% solar-to-fuel efficiency

Karthik Peramaiah*, Purushothaman Varadhan, Vinoth Ramalingam, Bilawal Khan, Pradip Kumar Das, Hao Huang, Hui Chun Fu, Xiulin Yang, Vincent Tung, Kuo Wei Huang*, Jr Hau He*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Solar-driven carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides an opportunity to produce value-added chemical feedstocks and fuels. However, achieving efficient and stable photoelectrochemical (PEC) CO2RR into selective products is challenging owing to the difficulties associated with the optical and the electrical configuration of PEC devices and electrocatalyst properties. Herein, we construct an efficient, concentrated sunlight-driven CO2RR setup consisting of InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction cell as a photoanode and oxide-derived Au (Ox-Au) as a cathode to perform the unassisted PEC CO2RR. Under one-sun illumination, a maximum operating current density of 11.5 mA cm–2 with an impressive Faradaic efficiency (FE) of ~98% is achieved for carbon monoxide (CO) production, leading to a solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency of ~15%. Under concentrated intensity of 10 sun, the photoanode records a maximum current density of ~124 mA cm–2 and maintains ~60% of FE for CO production. The results demonstrate crucial advancements in using III–V based photoanodes for concentrated PEC CO2RR.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere669
JournalCarbon Energy
Volume7
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2025

Keywords

  • 3 J photoanode
  • CO reduction
  • high STF
  • unassisted PEC

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Materials Science (miscellaneous)
  • Energy (miscellaneous)
  • Materials Chemistry

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