Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction with a Rhenium Organometallic Redox Mediator at Semiconductor/Aqueous Liquid Junction Interfaces

Sang Youn Chae; Ja Youn Choi; Yoolim Kim; Dang Le Tri Nguyen; Oh-Shim Joo

doi:10.1002/anie.201908398

Photoelectrochemical CO₂ Reduction with a Rhenium Organometallic Redox Mediator at Semiconductor/Aqueous Liquid Junction Interfaces

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019 Nov 11;58(46):16395-16399. doi: 10.1002/anie.201908398. Epub 2019 Sep 18.

Authors

Sang Youn Chae¹, Ja Youn Choi¹, Yoolim Kim^{1

2}, Dang Le Tri Nguyen^{1

3}, Oh-Shim Joo¹

Affiliations

¹ Clean energy research center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangro-14gil 5, 02792, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
² Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro, 145, 02841, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
³ Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 550000, Da Nang, Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

PMID: 31454460
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201908398

Abstract

Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical CO₂ reductions were carried out with Re(bh-bipy)(CO)₃ (OH₂ ) cocatalysts in aqueous electrolytes. Competition between hydrogen evolution and CO₂ reduction was observed under (photo)electrochemical conditions for both glassy carbon and CuInS₂ electrodes. The partial current density for CO generation is limited even though the additional potential is applied. However, electrochemical hydrogen evolution was suppressed under photoelectrochemical conditions, and the selectivity and partial current density for CO were considerably increased when compared to the electrochemical reduction in an identical electrode/electrolyte system. This finding may provide insights into using semiconductor/liquid junctions for solar fuel devices to overcome the limitations of electrolysis systems with an external bias.

Keywords: carbon dioxide; electrochemistry; interfaces; rhenium; solar energy.

Grants and funding

Korea Institute of Science and Technology