title: Photoelectrochemical study of p-GaP(100)|ZnO|AuNP devices: strategies for enhanced electron transfer and aqueous catalysis.
abstract: We report a photocathode device consisting of GaP, a metal oxide (Al2O3 or ZnO), a phosphonate-C12-thiol monolayer, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs enhance electron transfer: in non-aqueous electrochemistry (EtV(2+) in MeCN), p-GaP|Al2O3|O3PC12S|AuNP and …ZnO|…|AuNP rescued the photocurrent (24%, 59% of Jmax-etch). Aqueous experiments (CO2 saturated KCl) using the optimized ZnO-functionalized device exhibited H(+) → H2 (FY = 66%) and CO2 → CO (FY = 6%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. mrose@cm.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Owen M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. mrose@cm.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. mrose@cm.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rose