from the conferences organized by TANGER Ltd.
The shift towards sustainable energy sources has generated a growing need for materials that can effectively produce and conserve alternative fuels. While platinum is known for its outstanding catalytic properties in hydrogen evolution, its scarcity presents a significant challenge. This work focuses on developing an electrode for the photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen without Pt utilization, a potential future fuel source. In particular, we introduced a novel electrode preparation method that utilizes more abundant materials, including titanium (Ti), tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), and gold (Au). The proposed approach begins with titanium anodization to create a TiO2 nanotube array, followed by partial reduction to create a black titania structure, resulting in a high surface area with excellent light absorption. A nanostructured gold was deposited on the top of black titania and enhances light absorption, enabling the efficient use of hot electrons excited due to surface plasmon resonance. Simultaneously, controlled sulfurization of Ta2O5 yields TaS2 with a preferential structural modification (3R) which is later deposited on black titania/Au surface and enhances the catalytic activity of such samples. The synergistic combination of used materials, deliberate introduction of structural defects, and spatial compatibility leads to an electrode that surpasses platinum's overpotential for hydrogen evolution at high current densities. Moreover, under illumination, the prepared electrode outperforms platinum even at low current densities as low as 10 mA cm-2. This innovative approach holds promise for advancing sustainable hydrogen production and contributes to the ongoing efforts to develop alternative energy sources.
Keywords: Nanomaterials, TMDCs, hydrogen, water-splitting, black titania© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.