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It is indispensable to cope with the issues of the energy crisis and theÌýgreen-house gas emission, as a result of global fossil fuels consumption, by seeking alternative, clean and efficient energy vectors.Ìý

Photocatalytic water splitting is an artificial photosynthesis process which converts water to hydrogen gas in the presence of a photocatalyst and solar energy. Hydrogen (H₂) is the best candidate for future energy supply because it is an ultimate clean energy with high energy density. Solar water splitting using a powdered photocatalyst is an attractive approach to produce H₂ in a simple and inexpensive way.Ìý

Therefore, our research focus on synthesizing both inorganic and polymer-based photocatalysts to achieve efficient and long-term H₂ and O₂ evolution from water under light irradiation.Ìý

We have tenÌýXenon lamp (Newport USA, PerfectlightÌýCN)Ìýused as the light source and we also have three GCs with TCD, FID & MS detector to measure the evolved gases. UV-Vis Ìý(Agilent Cary 5000 UV-Vis-NIR), ATR-FTIR (IRAffinity-1S),ÌýBenchtop SEM/TEM (LEVM5)Ìýare available as well in the groupÌýfor the characterization of as-synthesised photocatalysts.Ìý

ProjectsÌý

• 2D-architectures conjugated polymerÌýphotocatalysts for H₂ and O₂ gas production from water.
• Mechanism insight on photocatalytic water splitting processes.

These projects are funded by the EPSRC (),Ìý(-);ÌýRoyal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship grant (NA170422) and the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2017-122).

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Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Water Splitting

The development of efficient methods for generating clean and sustainable energy is critically important in order to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emission from burning fossil fuels and to meet the rapid increase in global energy demands.

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Background

• We can make use of an abundant energy resource, solar energy, Ìýwhose irradiation upon the Earth's surface Ìý(1.3 x105 TW) exceeds the current global human energy consumption (16 TW in 2010) by ~ 4 orders of magnitude.

• Artificial photosynthesis (e.g. water splitting) is an attractive approach to meet current targets to inexpensively convert solar energy into a storable and transportable form of energy.

• Splitting of water by direct sunlight into molecular oxygen and hydrogen using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell is one such promising method to produce chemical fuels however the current reported efficiencies are relatively moderate.Ìý

Materials synthesis

• We are interested in the design and construction of novel photoelectrode materials, electrocatalysts and device assemblies to achieve efficient photoelectrochemical water cleavage.

• For thin film synthesis, we use our spin-coater (Laurell Technologies, USA), microwave (CEM UK) and aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) in addition to electrodeposition, hydrothermal, and spray gun.Ìý

Testing

• We have two photoelectrochemical test stations equipped with solar simulators (Newport USA), potentiostats (Ivium) and mechanical light chopper.

• Ivium Modulight for transient photovoltage measurement, IMPS and IMVS.

• We can test evolved gases for Faradaic Efficiency using one of our GCs.

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ProjectsÌý

• 2016-2019:ÌýEPSRC CO₂Ìýconversion to fuels and chemicals
• 2015-2016:ÌýNewton Research Fellowship to Dr Wenjun Luo (Nanjing Tech, China) who is researching electrocatalysts
• 2013-2014:ÌýEPSRC/UCL MIIA project: ÌýTiO₂Ìýprotection layers on Cu₂O photocathodes grown via ALD and CVD
• 2010-2013:ÌýEPSRC Nanostructured catalysts for CO₂Ìýconversion

Selected Publications

Wang, Y., Vogel, A., Sachs, M., Sprick, R.S., Wilbraham, L., Moniz, S.J.A., ...Cooper, A.I. (2020).ÌýÌýNATURE ENERGY, 5 (8), 633.

Wang, Y., Silveri, F., Bayazit, M.K., Ruan, Q., Li, Y., Xie, J., ...Tang, J. (2018).ÌýÌýADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS, 8 (24), doi:10.1002/aenm.201801084

Wang, Y., Suzuki, H., Xie, J., Tomita, O., Martin, D.J., Higashi, M., ...Tang, J. (2018).ÌýÌýChemical reviews, doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00286

Xie, J., Shevlin, S.A., Ruan, Q., Moniz, S.J.A., Liu, Y., Liu, X., ...Tang, J. (2018).ÌýÌýEnergy and Environmental Science, 11 (6), 1617-1624.

Jiang C, Moniz SJ, Wang A, Zhang T, Tang J.Ìý.ÌýChemical Society Reviews. 2017;46(15):4645-60.