Decoration of 3D ZnO nanoelectrodes with CuInS2 for solar water splitting

Abstract

This study reports the decoration of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheets with copper indium sulfide (CuInS2) via sequential metal deposition and post sulfurization methods for photoelectrochemical solar cell application. The three dimensional (3D) ZnO nanosheets are hydrothermally grown on conductive glass substrates by chemical bath deposition. Then, copper/indium metallic alloy is deposited via magnetron sputtering and annealed at high temperature in the presence of elemental sulfur to form CuInS2 absorber on the surface of 3D nanosheets. Photoelectrochemical measurements indicate that the decoration of CuInS2 layer over the ZnO nanosheets results in significant increase in the photocurrent density to 28 mA cm?2 (at 0.5 V vs Ag/AgCl) leading a remarkable amount of hydrogen generation during solar water splitting process, 1387 ?mol measured at 0 V vs Ag/AgCl under 1 sun-illumination for 4 h. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.