CdxZn1-xS/Sb2Se3 thin film photocathode for efficient solar water splitting

Solar water splitting is considered an ideal clean energy production method and has been increasingly studied by researchers. Here, we report a highly efficient Sb2Se3 photocathode using a CdxZn1-xS modification layer. It was found that the ratio of Zn/Cd significantly influenced the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the Pt/CdxZn1-xS/Sb2Se3 photocathode. The Pt/CdxZn1-xS/Sb2Se3 photocathode achieved the best photocurrent density of 17.5 mAcm−2 at 0 VRHE and a high HC-STH efficiency of 2.19 %. Moreover, a tandem device with a Pt/CdxZn1-xS/Sb2Se3 photocathode and BiVO4 photoanode was prepared for standalone solar water splitting, and this tandem device showed notable stability for over 8.5 h without obvious degradation. This research offers an effective strategy for fabricating Sb2Se3-based photocathodes to efficiently produce hydrogen via solar water splitting and reveals a new direction for achieving durable and high-efficiency materials for overall solar water splitting.