Table 2. Performance of representative nanowire photoelectrodes toward solar fuel production.
KPi, potassium phosphate buffer; NWs, nanowires; μWs, microwires; NPs, nanoparticles.
| Structure | J (mA cm−2) | E (V versus RHE) | FY (%) | Product | Bandgap (eV) | Onset (V versus RHE) | Stability (hours) | Conditions | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photocathodes: H2 evolution | |||||||||
| Si NWs|MoS2 nanosheets | 16.5 | 0 | H2 | 1.1 | 0.26 | 48 | 1 sun, 0.5 M H2SO4, pH 0.5 | (81) | |
| Au|Cu2O NWs|Ga2O3|TiO2|RuOx | ~10 | 0 | – | H2 | 2 | 1 | 120* | 1 sun, 0.5 M Na2SO4, 0.1 M NaPi, pH 5 | (77) |
| Si|GaN NWs|Pt | 38 | 0 | ~100 | H2 | 1.1 | 0.56 | 3000 | 1 sun, 0.5 M H2SO4, pH ~0 | (76) |
| Photocathodes: CO2R | |||||||||
| InP|TiO2|Cu NPs | 6.5 | −0.6† | 76.9 | H2 | 1.43 | ~−0.1† | 12 | λ = 532 nm, CO2 saturated 0.5 M KCl | (211) |
| 8.7 | CH3OH | ||||||||
| n+p-Si|GaN NWs|Sn NPs | −17.5 | −0.53 | 20 | H2 | 1.1 | 0 | 10 | 1 sun, 0.1 M KHCO3 | (212) |
| 5 | CO | ||||||||
| 76.9 | HCOOH | ||||||||
| Cu2O|SnOx | −3.7 | −0.35 | 16.1 | H2 | ~−0.1 | 12 | 2 sun, λ > 420 nm, 0.5 M NaHCO3 | (113) | |
| 74.22 | CO | ||||||||
| 6.08 | HCOOH | ||||||||
| n+p-Si μWs|Cu | −20.8 | −0.44 | 55.5 | H2 | 1.1 | ~0.15 | 48‡ | 1 sun, 0.1 M KHCO3, pH 6.8 | (69) |
| 9.5 | CH4 | ||||||||
| 10.5 | C2H4 | ||||||||
| n+p-Si NWs|Cu NPs | ~−10 | −0.5 | 55.9 | H2 | 1.1 | ~0.05 | 50 | 1 sun, 0.1 M KHCO3, pH 6.8 | (111) |
| 7.5 | HCOOH | ||||||||
| 3.1 | CO | ||||||||
| 4.4 | CH4 | ||||||||
| 24.3 | C2H4 | ||||||||
| 3.1 | C2H5OH | ||||||||
| 3.9 | C3H7OH | ||||||||
| Photocathodes: biologic systems | |||||||||
| Si NWs/S. ovata | ~−0.2 | 0.14 | 82 | CH3COOH | 1.1 | 0.26 | 130 | 1 sun, 20% CO2/80% N2 purged, brackish H2O, pH 6.3 to 6.7 | (72) |
| Photoanodes | |||||||||
| TiO2 NWs|ALD TiO2 | 1.1 | 1.5 | – | O2 | 3.0-3.2 | 0.1 | – | 1 sun, 1 M NaOH | (119) |
| WO3 nanorods | 2.26 | 1.23 | – | O2 | 2.61 | 0.5 | – | 1 sun, 0.5 M Na2SO4 | (124) |
| BiVO4|FeOOH|NiOOH nanoworms | 4.5 | 1.23 | >90 | O2 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 48 | 1 sun, 0.5 M KPi, pH 7 | (121) |
| Sn:Fe2O3 NWs | 3 | 1.6 | – | O2 | 2.2 | 0.8 | – | 1 sun, 1 M NaOH, pH 13.6 | (122) |
| WO3|W:BiVO4 NWs | 3.1 | 1.23 | – | O2 | 2.6/2.4 | 0.6 | – | 1 sun, 0.5 M KPi, pH 8 | (140) |
| Si|Fe2O3 NWs | 0.89 | 1.23 | – | O2 | 1.1/2.2 | 0.6 | – | 1 sun, 1 M NaOH | (142) |
| Branched ZnO NWs|Au NPs | 1.7 | 1.23 | – | O2 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 3 | 1 sun, 0.5 M Na2SO4, pH ∼7.0 | (151) |
*0.5 V versus RHE.
†V versus the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE).
‡−0.58 V versus RHE.