Nanoscale hetero-interfaces for electrocatalytic and photocatalytic water splitting

• Published in: Science and technology of advanced materials 2022-12, Vol.23 (1), p.587-616
• Main Authors: Yang, Baopeng, Luo, Dingzhong, Wu, Shimiao, Zhang, Ning, Ye, Jinhua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Charge transfer; electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Electronic structure; Focus on Advancements of Functional Materials with Nanoarchitectonics as Post-Nanotechnology Concept in Materials Science; Hetero-Interface; hydrogen energy; Hydrogen-based energy; Interface stability; Mass transfer; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Production methods; Review; Separation; Space charge; Stability analysis; Synergistic effect; Water splitting
• ISSN: 1468-6996; 1878-5514
• DOI: 10.1080/14686996.2022.2125827

As green and sustainable methods to produce hydrogen energy, photocatalytic and electrochemical water splitting have been widely studied. In order to find efficient photocatalysts and electrocatalysts, materials with various composition, size, and surface/interface are investigated. In recent years, constructing suitable nanoscale hetero-interfaces can not only overcome the disadvantages of the single-phase material, but also possibly provide new functionalities. In this review, we systematically introduce the fundamental understanding and experimental progress in nanoscale hetero-interface engineering to design and fabricate photocatalytic and electrocatalytic materials for water splitting. The basic principles of photo-/electro-catalytic water splitting and the fundamentals of nanoscale hetero-interfaces are briefly introduced. The intrinsic behaviors of nanoscale hetero-interfaces on electrocatalysts and photocatalysts are summarized, which are the electronic structure modulation, space charge separation, charge/electron/mass transfer, support effect, defect effect, and synergistic effect. By highlighting the main characteristics of hetero-interfaces, the main roles of hetero-interfaces for electrocatalytic and photocatalytic water splitting are discussed, including excellent electronic structure, efficient charge separation, lower reaction energy barriers, faster charge/electron/mass transfer, more active sites, higher conductivity, and higher stability on hetero-interfaces. Following above analysis, the developments of electrocatalysts and photocatalysts with hetero-structures are systematically reviewed.