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Enhancing the photoelectrochemical performance of p-silicon through TiO2 coating decorated with mesoporous MoS2

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An Erratum to this article was published on 20 July 2022

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Abstract

MoS2 is a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction and a good candidate for cocatalyst to enhance the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of Si-based photoelectrode in aqueous electrolytes. The main challenge lies in the optimization of the microstructure of MoS2, to improve its catalytic activity and to construct a mechanically and chemically stable cocatalyst/Si photocathode. In this paper, a highly-ordered mesoporous MoS2 was synthesized and decorated onto a TiO2 protected p-silicon substrate. An additional TiO2 necking was introduced to strengthen the bonding between the MoS2 particles and the TiO2 layer. This meso-MoS2/TiO2/p-Si hybrid photocathode exhibited significantly enhanced PEC performance, where an onset potential of + 0.06 V (versus RHE) and a current density of – 1.8 mA/cm2 at 0 V (versus RHE) with a Faradaic efficiency close to 100% was achieved in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4. Additionally, this meso-MoS2/TiO2/p-Si photocathode showed an excellent PEC ability and durability in alkaline media. This paper provides a promising strategy to enhance and protect the photocathode through high-performance surface cocatalysts.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51672174, 51779139, 51772190, and 51972210) and the Advanced Energy Material and Technology Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.

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Correspondence to Jing Liu or Peng Zhang.

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Wu, H., Li, F., Yuan, Y. et al. Enhancing the photoelectrochemical performance of p-silicon through TiO2 coating decorated with mesoporous MoS2. Front. Energy 15, 772–780 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-021-0783-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-021-0783-7

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