Investigators

Thomas Jaramillo, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

Objective

Hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been extensively investigated in the last few decades following the first experimental demonstrations using TiO2-based photoanodes. The realization of efficient and cost-effective PEC systems requires the identification of material candidates with the following properties: optimal bandgap for improved solar absorption; band edges aligned with the energy levels required for the redox water splitting reaction; sufficient carrier mobility for the photogenerated charges to reach the electrode/water interface before recombination; stability against corrosion; optimal catalytic properties for H₂ and O₂ evolution; and low cost. This exploratory program aims at investigating the potential of nanostructured earth-abundant, non-toxic dichalcogenide semiconductors (molybdenum and tungsten disulfides) where bulk and surface properties could be tailored independently to satisfy the above criteria by controlling their nanostructure.

Progress Report

• 2010 Progress Report (PDF)

Publications

Presentations

• Chen Z. and T. F. Jaramillo. “Nanostructured MoS2 for Solar Hydrogen Production,” 217th National Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Vancouver, B.C., April 2010.
• Chen Z. and T. F. Jaramillo. “Nanostructured MoS2 for Solar Hydrogen Production,” 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Francisco, CA, March 2010.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Nano-scaled materials for the synthesis of fuels from sunlight,” University of CA at Santa Cruz, invited, February 2010.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Nano-scaled materials for the synthesis of fuels from sunlight,” University of CA at Berkeley, invited, December 2009.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Nanostructured MoS2 for the Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Production of Hydrogen,” American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, November 2009.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Nano-scaled materials for the synthesis of fuels from sunlight,” University of Texas at Austin, invited, October 2009.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Nanostructured MoS2 and WS2 for the Solar Production of Hydrogen,” 2009 Global Climate Energy Project Research Symposium, Stanford, CA, October 2009.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Designing nano-scaled, non-precious metal catalysts for hydrogen evolution,” University of CA, Berkeley, Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute (BNNI), Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) Seminar, Berkeley, CA, March 2009.
• Jaramillo, T. F. “Solar Fuels by Photoelectrochemistry (PEC),” Chevron Corporation, Richmond, CA, March 2009.