Two-dimensional nanosheets for photoelectrochemical water splitting: Possibilities and opportunities
Two-dimensional nanosheets for photoelectrochemical water splitting: Possibilities and opportunities
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DOI：
10.1016/j.nantod.2013.12.002
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发表时间：
2013-12
期刊：
影响因子：
17.4
通讯作者：
Min Zhou;X. Lou;Yi Xie
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Min Zhou;X. Lou;Yi Xie
鉴于21世纪全球能源的挑战，基于光电化学（PEC）的水分解技术作为太阳能收集和储存的替代方法受到了相当大的关注。先进PEC器件的性能从根本上与纳米级半导体光电极设计有关。在各种架构中，厚度通常低于100 nm的二维（2D）纳米片对于高效PEC水裂解具有很大的希望。因此，本文主要提供了一个全面的审查目前的研究工作，重点是科学和技术的可能性，使用2D纳米片制造高效光电极的PEC水裂解，其次是一个简明扼要的概述国家的最先进的进展2D纳米片，我们还提出了一个讨论如何克服的挑战，阻止实现2D纳米片的全部潜力。特别注意两个主要方法。一种是将纳米片直接排列在基底上，以最大限度地发挥2D纳米片的形态优势。另一种是将普通二维纳米片的厚度进一步减小到单个或几个原子层，旨在调节PEC水裂解的内在物理和化学性质。这两种方法都极大地提高了PEC的性能，并极大地拓宽了关于现有半导体材料在太阳能相关应用中的应用领域和应用方式的知识。因此，可以设想，2D纳米片可以在朝向高效太阳能转换的方向上提供广泛的机会和前景。
In view of the worldwide energy challenge in the 21st century, the technology of semiconductor-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has received considerable attention as an alternative approach for solar energy harvesting and storage. The performance of advanced PEC devices is fundamentally related to the semiconductor photoelectrode design at the nanoscale. Among various architectures, two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets with thickness generally below 100 nm hold great promise for highly efficient PEC water splitting. Hence, this article mainly provides a comprehensive review of current research efforts that focus on the scientific and technological possibilities of using 2D nanosheets to fabricate efficient photoelectrodes for PEC water splitting, followed by a concise overview of the state-of-the-art progress of 2D nanosheets, where we also present a discussion of how to overcome the challenges that have prevented realizing the full potential of 2D nanosheets. Particular attention is paid on two major approaches. One is to align nanosheets directly on the substrate to maximize the morphological advantages of 2D nanosheets. The other is to further reduce the thickness of common 2D nanosheets to single or a few atomic layers aiming at regulating the intrinsic physical and chemical properties for PEC water splitting. Both of the approaches have led to excellent improvements on PEC performance and greatly broaden the knowledge about where and how the existing semiconductor materials can be used in solar energy-related applications. It is hence envisioned that 2D nanosheets can offer wide opportunities and perspectives on the directions toward high-efficiency solar energy conversion.