Development of advanced nanostructured materials with hole selective coatings for artificial photosynthesis

• Grant number: 15/23503-3
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal researcher: Renato Vitalino Gonçalves
• Grantee: Renato Vitalino Gonçalves
• Host: Frank Erich Osterloh
• Home Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of California, Davis (UC Davis), United States

Abstract

Hydrogen production through water splitting using solar energy has been recognized as one of the most challenging and promising processes for the generation of clean and renewable energy. This research project aims to study and to develop semiconductor oxide nanostructures (photocatalysts) with specific properties for efficient artificial photosynthesis (water splitting). In this regard, Cr-doped SrTiO3 nanostructures with specific morphologies will be synthesized by hydrothermal and wet route processes and subsequently covered with Ni oxide layer that will function as hole selective coating. The morphological, electronic and structural properties of nanomaterials, as well as the basic processes involved in the breakdown of the water molecule into H2 and O2 will be investigated using several advanced experimental techniques such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy and surface photovoltage spectroscopy. Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPV) will be used as a highly sensitive tool to probe photochemical charge generation and transfer across semiconductor oxide nanostructures junctions. SPV spectra will provide us insights into the band gap energy of the absorber, its carrier type, defect states, and the photovoltage of the absorber-substrate junctions. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ZHAO, ZEQIONG; GONCALVES, RENATO V.; BARMAN, SAJIB K.; WILLARD, EMMA J.; BYLE, EDAAN; PERRY, RUSSELL; WU, ZONGKAI; HUDA, MUHAMMAD N.; MOULE, ADAM J.; OSTERLOH, FRANK E. Electronic structure basis for enhanced overall water splitting photocatalysis with aluminum doped SrTiO3 in natural sunlight. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, v. 12, n. 4, p. 1385-1395, APR 1 2019. Web of Science Citations: 5.