Journal Article

FZJ-2023-01252

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png An artificial leaf device built with earth-abundant materials for combined H2 production and storage as formate with efficiency > 10%

Ampelli, C. (Corresponding author) ; Giusi, D. ; Miceli, M. ; Merdzhanova, T.FZJ* ; Smirnov, V.FZJ* ; Chime, U.FZJ* ; Astakhov, O.FZJ* ; Martin Fernandez, A. ; Veenstra, F. ; Garcés-Pineda, F. ; Gonzalez-Cobos, J. ; García-Tecedor, M. ; Gimenez, S. ; Jaegermann, W. ; Centi, G. ; Pérez-Ramírez, J. ; Galan-Mascaros, J. ; Perathoner, S.

2023
RSC Publ. Cambridge

This record in other databases:    

Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/34421  doi:10.1039/D2EE03215E

Abstract: A major challenge for achieving the energy transition and transforming the current energy model into distributed productionis the development of efficient artificial leaf-type devices capable of directly converting carbon dioxide (CO2), water andsunlight into sustainable fuels and chemicals under ambient conditions. These devices should avoid using critical rawmaterials to be sustainable and cost-competitive. We report top-level results for the first time in converting CO2 and H2O tofuels (formate and H2) using sunlight and electrodes based solely on earth-abundant materials. The cell provides a solar-tofuelefficiency of> 10 % combined with world-record current densities to comparable devices operating at roomtemperature, without adding sacrificial donors or electrical bias. In addition, we present the novel concept of producing atthe same time H2 and an H2-storage element (formate), the latter used to produce H2 when light is absent. This solutionallows continuous (24h) hydrogen production using an artificial-leaf device. For the first time, we show the feasibility of thissolution. The experimental results were obtained in an optimised, compact electrochemical flow cell, with electrodes basedon Cu-S and Ni-Fe-Zn oxide (for CO2 reduction and oxygen evolution reaction, respectively) supported on gas-diffusionsubstrates, integrated with a low-cost Si-based photovoltaic module. The cell design allows for easy scale-up and lowmanufacturing and operating costs. The cell operates at a current density of about 17 mA·cm–2 and a full-cell voltage of 2.5V (stable for at least ten hours and in on-off operations), providing formate productivity of 193 mol·h–1·cm–2, paving theway towards the implementation of affordable artificial-leaf type systems in the future energy scenario.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Photovoltaik (IEK-5)

Research Program(s):

1. 1214 - Modules, stability, performance and specific applications (POF4-121) (POF4-121)

Appears in the scientific report 2023

---

Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Sciences ; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 30 ; JCR ; National-Konsortium ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

---