New Strategy to Incorporate Nano-Particle Sized Water Oxidation Catalyst into Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrochemical Cell for Water Splitting

In order to develop a new strategy to deposit nano-particle sized water oxidation catalyst based on earth abundant element to the photoanode in a photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting, Co3O4 as water oxidation catalyst was prepared and subsequently modified by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The amino functionalized Co3O4 catalyst was carefully characterized and then integrated to the ruthenium dye sensitized photoelectrode through fast Schiff base reaction. Cyclic voltammetry experiments in the dark confirmed that the modified Co3O4 catalyst was still active toward water oxidation, which could be initiated by oxidation of the ruthenium photosensitizer. Under visible light irradiation, incorporation of the modified Co3O4 catalyst resulted in dramatic enhancement of the transient photocurrent density for the photoanode, which was 8 times higher than that of without Co3O4 catalyst.