| Title: | Understanding the in-situ transformation of ▫$Cu_xO$▫ interlayers to increase the water splitting efficiency in NiO/n-Si photoanodes |
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| Authors: | ID Feng, Chao (Author)
ID Liu, Zhi (Author)
ID Ju, Huanxin (Author)
ID Mavrič, Andraž (Author)
ID Valant, Matjaž (Author)
ID Fu, Jie (Author)
ID Zhang, Beibei (Author)
ID Li, Yanbo (Author) |
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| Files: |  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50893-x
 s41467-024-50893-x.pdf (2,10 MB)
MD5: 05103C87753A4E5CD0A3D7EB211DD687
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50893-x
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| Language: | English |
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| Work type: | Unknown |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: | UNG - University of Nova Gorica
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| Abstract: | The buried interface tens of nanometers beneath the solid-liquid junction is crucial for photocarrier extraction, influencing the overall efficiency of photoelectrochemical devices. Precise characterization of the interfacial properties is essential for device optimization but remains challenging. Here, we directly probe the in situ transformation of a CuxO interlayer at the NiO/n-Si interface by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is found that Cu(I) in the CuxO interlayer gradually transforms to Cu(II) with air exposure, forming an energetically more favorable interface and improving photoanode’s efficiency. Based on this finding, a reactive e-beam evaporation process is developed for the direct deposition of a CuO interlayer, achieving a half-cell solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 4.56% for the optimized NiO/CuO/n-Si heterojunction photoanode. Our results highlight the importance of precision characterization of interfacial properties with advanced hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in guiding the design of efficient solar water-splitting devices. |
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| Keywords: | photo anode, energy harvesting, nickel oxide, interface |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 31.07.2024 |
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| Year of publishing: | 2024 |
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| Number of pages: | str. 1-11 |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 15, article no. ǂ6436 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/RUNG-9206  |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 203338755 |
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| UDC: | 53 |
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| ISSN on article: | 2041-1723 |
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| DOI: | 10.1038/s41467-024-50893-x |
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| NUK URN: | URN:SI:UNG:REP:Y58TCUWX |
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| Publication date in RUNG: | 01.08.2024 |
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| Views: | 591 |
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| Downloads: | 8 |
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