Advanced oxide based semiconductor photoelectrodes for solar energy conversion and water treatment

The project deals with the basic research of semiconductor photoelectrodes for solar energy conversion and water treatment. Work will focus on materials aspects (photophysics, thermodynamics and doping) and on understanding of semiconductor/liquid junctions and their protection against corrosion under solar light. Study of energetics of photoelectrode/liquid junctions based devices (photoelectrochemical cells) and impurity remediation with such cells are the main objectives of the project. Advanced deposition methods (aerosol and spray pyrolysis, hydrothermal synthesis...) will be used for fabrication of oxide based photoanodes and photocathodes (Fe2O3, BiVO4, WO3, Cu2O, CuO, etc.). Photoelectrodes will be evaluated in terms of physical, semiconductor (Mott-Schottky) and photoelectrochemical (IPCE) properties and layer parameters (thickness, crystalline structure, porosity, doping) will be optimized. Improvement of efficiency and photocorrosion stability will be achieved by i)doping, ii)fabrication of 1-D or highly porous structure and iii)application of protective layers by ALD