• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.185-202
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• 2018

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells can convert solar energy, the largest potential source of renewable energy, into hydrogen fuel which can be stored, transported, and used on demand. In terms of cost competitiveness compared with fossil fuels, however, both photocatalytic efficiency and cost-effectiveness must be achieved simultaneously. Improvement of cost-effective, scalable, versatile, and eco-friendly fabrication methods has emerged as an urgent mission for PEC cells, and solution-based fabrication methods could be capable of meeting these demands. Herein, we review recent challenges for various nanostructured oxide photoelectrodes fabricated by solution-based processes. Hematite, tungsten oxide, bismuth vanadate, titanium oxide, and copper oxides are the main oxides focused on, and various strategies have been attempted with respect to these photocatalyst materials. The effects of nanostructuring, heterojunctions, and co-catalyst loading on the surface are discussed. Our review introduces notable solution-based processes for water splitting photoelectrodes and gives an outlook on eco-friendly and cost-effective approaches to solar fuel generation and innovative artificial photosynthesis technologies.

• 한국태양에너지학회 논문집
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.29-35
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• 2003

We studied the water splitting into $H_2$ and $O_2$ using two different semiconductor photo catalysts and redox mediator, mimicking the Z-scheme mechanism of the photosynthesis, $H_2$ evolution took place on a Pt-$SrTiO_2$ (Cr-Ta doped) photocatalyst using $I^-$ electron donor under the visible light irradiation. The Pt-$WO_3$ photocatalyst showed an excellent activity of the $O_2$ evolution using $IO_3^-$ electron acceptor under visible light. $H_2$ and $O_2$ gases evolved in the stoichiometric ratio($H_2/O_2$=2) under visible light using a mixture of the Pt-$WO_3$ and Pt-$SrTiO_3$ (Cr-Ta doped) suspended in NaI aqueous solution. We proposed a two-step photo-excitation mechanism using redox mediator under the visible irradiation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권7호
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• pp.2200-2206
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• 2012

One-dimensional $TiO_2$ array grown on optically transparent electrode holds a promise as a photoelectrode for photoelectrochemical water splitting; however, its crystal structure is rutile, imposing constraints on the potent use of this nanostructure. To address this issue, a heterojunction with type-II band alignment was fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. One-dimensional core/shell structured $TiO_2$/ZnO heterojunction was superior to $TiO_2$ in the photoelectrochemical water splitting because of better charge separation and more favorable Fermi level. The heterojunction also possesses better light scattering property, which turned out to be beneficial even for improving the photoelectrochemical performance of semiconductor-sensitized solar cell.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.130-135
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• 2005

Cadmium selenide is one of the group IIb-VI compounds, which is the promising semiconductor material due to its wide range of technological applications in optoelectronic devices such as photoelectrochemical cells, solid state solar cells, thin film photoconductors etc. CdSe has optical band gap of 1.7-1.8eV and proper conduction band edge for water splitting. CdSe films are coated with small thickness(20-50nm) nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ film by electrodeposition or chemical bath deposition methods and PEC properties of CdSe and CdSe/$TiO_2$ sandwich structure are studied. The photoactivity of CdSe and CdSe/$TiO_2$ films deposited on titanium substrate is studied in aqueous electrolyte of 1M NaOH solution. Photocurrent and photovoltage obtained were of the order of 2-4 mA/$cm^2$ and 0.5V, respectively, under the intensity of illumination of 100 mW/$cm^2$.

• 태양에너지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.49-56
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• 1988

Thermally treated Korean ilmenite was characterized and used for water splitting to obtain hydrogen by photo-catalytic reaction. Experiments on specific surface area, X-ray diffraction and EDS showed that the formation of FeO, $Fe_2O_3$ and $TiO_2$ ilmenite crystal surface increased the specific surface area with maximum value, phase change of $TiO_2$ at $600^{\circ}C$ and hetrogeneity. The hydrogen evolved in caustic soda solution on these ilmenites indicated that there was a maximum yield point at about $600^{\circ}C$. This point was explained with the change of the surface area due to sintering of newly formed FeO, $Fe_2O_3$ and $TiO_2$, as well as crystal phase change of anatase to rutile at $600^{\circ}C$. Produced hydrogen increased also as the concentration of caustic soda, but become constant at the near 1N solution.

• 마이크로전자및패키징학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.107-111
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• 2019

We report the fabrication of a CdS/CuInGaSe (CdS/CIGS) structure with carbon nanotubes and its application as a photocathode for photoelectrochemical water splitting. CIGS thin films were fabricated using co-evaporation by RF magnetron sputtering, while CdS was fabricated by chemical bath deposition. Spray coated multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) film on CdS/CIGS thin film was investigated as a photocathode. The CNT-coated CdS/CIGS showed superior photocurrent density and exhibited improved photostability.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 2018년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.58-58
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• 2018

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.282-287
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• 2013

Hydrogen production from water using solar energy is attractive way to obtain clean energy resource. Among the various solar-to-hydrogen production techniques, a combination of a photovoltaic and an electrolytic cell is one of the most promising techniques in term of stability and efficiency. In this study, we show successful fabrication of precursor solution processed CIGS thin film solar cells which can generate high voltage. In addition, CIGS thin film solar cell modules producing over 2V of open circuit voltage were fabricated by connecting three single cells in series, which are applicable to water electrolysis. The operating current and voltage during water electrolysis was measured to be 4.23mA and 1.59V, respectively, and solar to hydrogen efficiency was estimated to be 3.9%.

• 한국태양에너지학회 논문집
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• 제37권5호
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• pp.27-37
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• 2017

In this study, an artificial solar simulator composed of a 2.5 kW Xe-Arc lamp and mirror reflector was used to carry out the solar thermal two step thermochemical water decomposition cycle which can produce high efficiency continuous hydrogen production. Through various operating conditions, the change of hydrogen production due to the possibility of a dual-zone reactor and heat recovery were experimentally analyzed. Based on the reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step and Water-Decomposition step at $1,400^{\circ}C$ and $1,000^{\circ}C$ respectively, the hydrogen production decreased by 23.2% under the power off condition, and as a result of experiments using heat recovery technology, the hydrogen production increased by 33.8%. Therefore, when a thermochemical two-step water decomposition cycle is conducted using a dual-zone reactor with heat recovery, it is expected that the cycle can be operated twice over a certain period of time and the hydrogen production amount is increased by at least 53.5% compared to a single reactor.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제45회 하계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.251.2-251.2
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• 2013

Natural photosynthesis utilizes two proteins, photosystem I and photosystem II, to efficiently oxidize water and reduce NADP+ to NADPH. Artificial photosynthesis which mimics this process achieve water splitting through a two-step Z-schematic water splitting process using man-made synthetic materials for hydrogen fuel production. In this study, Z-scheme system was achieved from the hybrid materials which composed of hydrogen production part as photosystem I protein and water oxidizing part as semiconductor BiVO4. Utilizing photosystem I as the hydrogen evolving part overcomes the problems of existing hydrogen evolving p-type semiconductors such as water instability, expensive cost, few available choices and poor red light (>600 nm) absorbance. Some problems of photosystem II, oxygen evolving part of natural photosynthesis, such as demanding isolation process and D1 photo-damage can also be solved by utilizing BiVO4 as the oxygen evolving part. Preceding research has not suggested any protein-inorganic-hybrid Z-scheme composed of both materials from natural photosynthesis and artificial photosynthesis. In this study, to realize this Z-schematic electron transfer, diffusion step of electron carrier, which usually degrades natural photosynthesis efficiency, was eliminated. Instead, BiVO4 and Pt-photosystem I were all linked together by the mediator gold. Synthesized all-solid-state hybrid materials show enhanced hydrogen evolution ability directly from water when illuminated with visible light.