A comparison of water photo-oxidation and photo-reduction using photoelectrodes surface-modified by deposition of co-catalysts: Insights from photo-electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The purpose of this research paper is to highlight the similarities in the kinetic treatment between water photo-oxidation into molecular oxygen and water photo-reduction into molecular hydrogen, using photoelectrodes surface modified by deposition of co-catalysts. Photo-anodes made of TiO2 nanorods surface-covered by crystals of cobalt Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF-67), and photo-cathodes made of Rh:SrTiO3 particles surface modified by adsorption of molecules of trisdioximate hexa-chlorine cobalt (II) clathrochelate (Co(Cl(2)Gm)(3)(BCH3)(2)), have been prepared and used for water photo-oxidation and photo-reduction experiments, respectively. Both photoelectrodes have been characterized by SEM and cyclic voltammetry under illumination conditions. Charge transfer mechanisms have been investigated by photo-electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (PEIS). It is shown that for both systems, the presence of a co-catalyst increases the charge transfer kinetics, and that the trapping resistance is larger than the charge transfer resistance, at any operating potential. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.