Photoelectrode and preparation method therefor, and platinum-based alloy catalyst and preparation method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12146231-B2
Application number	US-202117914299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2021
Priority date	Sep 13, 2021
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

The present application discloses a photoelectrode and a preparation method therefor, and a Pt-based alloy catalyst and a preparation method therefor. The method for preparing the Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst includes: placing a photoelectrode in an electrolytic cell with at least one light-transmitting surface and including an electrolyte; using a light source to irradiate a surface of the photoelectrode from the light-transmitting surface of the electrolytic cell, where the photoelectrode includes an active metal layer, a passivation layer, a semiconductor light absorption layer, a rear conductive layer, and an insulating protective layer that are sequentially stacked along the light incident direction; based on an electrochemical workstation and light irradiation, using a Pt electrode and a reference electrode to match the photoelectrode to electrochemically treat the surface of the photoelectrode; and cleaning the electrochemically-treated photoelectrode to obtain the Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst and a photoelectrode modified by the Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst, comprising:
preparing a photoelectrode:
providing a p-type monocrystalline silicon substrate as a planar silicon substrate, the p-type monocrystalline silicon substrate being a light absorption layer, with a doping concentration of 10 14 -10 18 cm −3 , and the light absorption layer having a thickness of 1-1000 μm;
chemically cleaning the planar silicon substrate, and then performing nanostructured treatment on a front surface of the planar silicon substrate, to obtain a silicon micro-nanowire array;
depositing a passivation layer with a thickness of 1-5 nm on the front surface of the planar silicon substrate or the silicon micro-nanowire array substrate;
depositing an active metal layer comprising at least one of titanium, zirconium, aluminum, zinc, iron or copper and having a thickness of 10-80 nm on the passivation layer;
depositing a rear conductive layer with a thickness of 100-5000 nm on a back surface of the planar silicon substrate or the silicon micro-nanowire array substrate;
fixing a wire to the rear conductive layer by using an adhesive, and insulating and sealing the rear conductive layer, the adhesive, and the wire, so that the planar silicon substrate or the silicon micro-nanowire array exposes only a region in which the active metal layer is deposited as an effective operation region of the photoelectrode, to obtain the photoelectrode;

placing the photoelectrode in an electrolytic cell with at least one light-transmitting surface and comprising an electrolyte;
causing excitation light emitted by a light source to irradiate a surface of the photoelectrode from the light-transmitting surface of the electrolytic cell, wherein the photoelectrode comprises an active metal layer, a passivation layer, a semiconductor light absorption layer, a rear conductive layer, and an insulating protective layer that are sequentially stacked in an incident direction of the excitation light;
based on an electrochemical workstation, and under the irradiation of the excitation light, using a Pt electrode and a reference electrode to match the photoelectrode to electrochemically treat the surface of the photoelectrode; and
cleaning the electrochemically-treated photoelectrode to obtain a photoelectrode modified by an Ag—Pt nano-alloy catalyst.

2. The method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein
based on an electrochemical workstation, and under the irradiation of the excitation light, using a Pt electrode and a reference electrode to match the photoelectrode at room temperature to electrochemically treat the surface of the photoelectrode.

3. The method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein
electrochemical treatment is performed on the surface of the photoelectrode under the irradiation of light, and the electrochemical treatment is repeated linear potential scanning, with a potential range of +0.5 V vs. RHE to −2.5 V vs. RHE.

4. The method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst according to claim 3 , wherein
scanning is performed for 5-20 times.

5. The method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrolyte is one of 0.1-5 mol/L sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, boric acid, phosphoric acid or carbonic acid.

6. The method for preparing a Pt-based nano-alloy catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein
the reference electrode is a saturated Ag/AgCl electrode.

Assignees

• Univ Soochow

Inventors

• Li Liujing
• Wu Shaolong
• Guo Peiji
• Li Xiaofeng

Classifications

• C25D5/48 Primary

  After-treatment of electroplated surfaces · CPC title

• C25D3/567

  containing more than 50% by weight of platinum group metals · CPC title

• C25B9/65

  Means for supplying current; Electrode connections; Electric inter-cell connections · CPC title

• C25B11/052

  Electrodes comprising one or more electrocatalytic coatings on a substrate · CPC title

• C25B9/50

  Cells or assemblies of cells comprising photoelectrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title