Artificial photosynthesis: A two-electrode photoelectrochemical cell for light driven water oxidation with molecular components

An efficient two-electrode molecular PEC was assembled, in which a photoanode was constructed using a co-adsorbed method with a molecular photosensitizer (PS) 1 and a molecular catalyst 2 on TiO2-sintered FTO electrode (TiO2(1 + 2)). Without applied bias against a reference electrode, the system achieves remarkable photocurrent densities and carries out light driven water oxidation as evidenced by Clark electrode measurements in solution. A photocurrent density of 70 μA/cm2 has been obtained within 10 s illumination time, and a TON of about 220 was obtained with a maximum turnover frequency (TOF) of ca. 4 min−1 within the initial 5 minutes illumination duration.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideSchematic illustration of the two-electrode PEC with a photoanode co-adsorbed with a PS 1 and a molecular catalyst 2 on nano-structured TiO2 and a passive Pt cathode.