Researchers from the University of Central Florida, including Mostafa Torkashvand, Saeedeh Sarabadani Tafreshi, Caterina Cocchi, and Surender Kumar, have identified a new class of materials that could significantly improve the efficiency of solar-driven water splitting, a process crucial for producing green hydrogen. Their findings, published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, focus on Janus MoSSe/WSSe heterobilayers, which show promise for enhancing the solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency.
In their study, the researchers used advanced computational methods to investigate the properties of MoXY/WXY (X, Y = S, Se) Janus bilayers. They found that the Se-Se interfaced heterobilayer can inherently drive water splitting, while the S-S counterpart can achieve the necessary redox requirements through pH adjustment. Both configurations are predicted to achieve a notable STH efficiency of 17.1%, which is a significant improvement over existing technologies.
The key advantage of these heterobilayers lies in the chemical potential difference between molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W), which generates a built-in electric field. This electric field promotes the spatial separation of photogenerated carriers, reducing recombination and enhancing overall hydrogen production. This intrinsic property makes Janus heterobilayers particularly attractive for solar-driven water splitting applications.
For the energy sector, this research offers a promising avenue for developing more efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production. Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier that can be used in various applications, including fuel cells and industrial processes. By improving the efficiency of water splitting, these Janus heterobilayers could contribute to a more sustainable energy future, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
The practical applications of this research extend beyond hydrogen production. The enhanced carrier separation and reduced recombination in these materials could also benefit other photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical processes. As the energy industry continues to seek innovative solutions for renewable energy storage and conversion, the development of advanced materials like Janus heterobilayers represents a significant step forward.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.