Noble metal-free hydrogen-evolving photocathodes based on small molecule organic semiconductors

Adina Morozan (1) , Tiphaine Bourgeteau (2) , Denis Tondelier (3) , Bernard Geffroy (3, 2) , Bruno Jousselme (4) , Vincent Artero (1)

1 LCBM - UMR 5249 - Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux
2 LICSEN UMR 3685 - Laboratoire Innovation en Chimie des Surfaces et NanoSciences
3 LPICM - Laboratoire de physique des interfaces et des couches minces [Palaiseau]
4 LCSI - Laboratoire de Chimie des Surfaces et Interfaces

Organic semiconductors have great potential for producing hydrogen in a sustainable and economically-viable manner because they rely on readily available materials with highly tunable properties. We demonstrate here the relevance of heterojunctions to the construction of H2-evolving photocathodes, exclusively based on earth-abundant elements. Boron subnaphthalocyanine chloride proved a very promising acceptor in that perspective. It absorbs a part of the solar spectrum complementary to α-sexithiophene as a donor, thus generating large photocurrents and providing a record onset potential for light-driven H2 evolution under acidic aqueous conditions using a nanoparticulate amorphous molybdenum sulfide catalyst.

Domaines: Matériaux

Adina Morozan, Tiphaine Bourgeteau, Denis Tondelier, Bernard Geffroy, Bruno Jousselme, et al.. Noble metal-free hydrogen-evolving photocathodes based on small molecule organic semiconductors. Nanotechnology, 2016, 27 (35), pp.355401. ⟨10.1088/0957-4484/27/35/355401⟩. ⟨cea-01355285⟩