journal article·2026-01-28Open access

Optimized Copper-Modified Zinc Oxide Photoanodes for Solar-to-Hydrogen Evolution

Premrudee Promdet, Fan Cui, Raul Quesada-Cabrera, Sanjayan Sathasivam, Jiang Wu, Claire J. Carmalt, Ivan P. Parkin

Abstract

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This work presents a single-step method for producing cost-efficient copper-modified zinc oxide photoanodes through scalable chemical vapor deposition. The role of Cu incorporation is thoroughly investigated, with the identification of an optimized loading of the metal in these films. The optimally Cu-modified ZnO sample (CZO-5.6) achieved a stable photocurrent of approximately 1.22 mA cm –2 at 1.23 V RHE, along with a Faradaic efficiency of 89%. This enhanced performance was attributed to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects induced by copper nanoparticles, as evidenced by photoluminescence spectroscopy results. To promote stability under the experimental conditions of the PEC cell, the best-performing photoanode was further protected using amorphous TiO 2 deposited by atomic layer deposition. Amorphous TiO 2 coatings have been found to be exceptionally stable in alkaline solutions and highly conductive for photogenerated holes, offering a promising solution for PEC electrode protection. This work not only describes a method for fabricating photoanodes with high photocatalytic activity but also suggests a low-cost route toward the development of photocatalysts for hydrogen production.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells · Copper-based nanomaterials and applications · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Materials Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, UCL (University College London), 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, U.K.

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, UCL (University College London), Malet Place, London WC1E 7JE, U.K.

Department of Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus de Tafira, Las Palmas 35017, Spain

School of Engineering & Design, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, U.K.

Energy, Materials & Environment Research Centre, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, U.K.

Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Funding

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovaci?n y Universidades · NextGenerationEU · Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project · Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) · School of Engineering and Design, LSBU · Energy, Materials & Environment Research Centre, LSBU

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