Panchromatic Solar-to-H2 Conversion by a Hybrid Quantum Dots-Dye Dual Absorber Tandem Device

Abstract

Solution-processed mesoscopic oxide semiconductor-based materials offer potentially low-cost and high stability alternative for next generation of water to hydrogen conversion photoelectrochemical cells (PEC). In the present study, we demonstrate the effective unassisted H2 generation by a tandem device based on a quantum dot (QD)-dye dual absorber system. These systems are constituted by a TiO2 mesoscopic photoanode sensitized with CdS QDs and a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC), based on ruthenium dye, connected in series. This solar cell supplies the needed photovoltage to induce photodriven hydrogen production. Opto-electrochemical characterization of the single components allows the prediction of the operational photocurrents and a reliable estimation of the theoretical power conversion efficiencies of tandem systems. Evolved hydrogen under simulated solar illumination was collected, and solar to hydrogen conversion efficiencies (STH) were obtained. The tandem devices have demonstrated high stability in aqueous medium and solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of (0.78 ± 0.04)%, near tripling the efficiency of single QD based photoanodes. These results highlight the importance of the design of hybrid photoanodes combining the effect of different light absorbers working in parallel tandem devices for the development of efficient H2 generation QD-based photoelectrochemical cells. © 2013 American Chemical Society.