title: Ten-percent solar-to-fuel conversion with nonprecious materials.
abstract: Direct solar-to-fuels conversion can be achieved by coupling a photovoltaic device with water-splitting catalysts. We demonstrate that a solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE) > 10% can be achieved with nonprecious, low-cost, and commercially ready materials. We present a systems design of a modular photovoltaic (PV)-electrochemical device comprising a crystalline silicon PV minimodule and low-cost hydrogen-evolution reaction and oxygen-evolution reaction catalysts, without power electronics. This approach allows for facile optimization en route to addressing lower-cost devices relying on crystalline silicon at high SFEs for direct solar-to-fuels conversion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; and dnocera@fas.harvard.edu buonassisi@mit.edu casandracox@fas.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Casandra R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.
authors.forename: Jungwoo Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; and dnocera@fas.harvard.edu buonassisi@mit.edu casandracox@fas.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Nocera
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 dnocera@fas.harvard.edu buonassisi@mit.edu casandracox@fas.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Tonio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buonassisi
keywords: artificial leaf; earth abundant; multijunction; renewable; solar cell