Residual Energy Harvesting from Light Transients Using Hematite as an Intrinsic Photocapacitor in a Symmetrical Cell

Abstract: Hematite as a sustainable photoabsorber material offers a band gap close to 2 eV and photoanode characteristics, but usually requires additional catalysts to enhance surface redox chemistry during steady state light energy harvesting for water splitting. Here, for a highly doped hematite film, sufficient intrinsic photocapacitor behavior is reported for the conversion of light transients into energy. Residual energy is harvested in a symmetric architecture with two opposing mesoporous hematite films on conductive glass. Transient light energy harvesting is shown to occur without the need for water splitting.

Author(s): van Leeuwen, NS; Blom, B; Xie, MY; Adamaki, V; Bowen, CR; de Araujo, MA; Mascaro, LH; Cameron, PJ; Marken, F

ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS

DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.7b00035