Unassisted solar-driven photoelectrosynthetic HI splitting using membrane-embedded Si microwire arrays

Free-standing, membrane-embedded, Si microwire arrays have been used to affect the solar-driven, unassisted splitting of HI into H2 and I3 . The Si microwire arrays were grown by a chemical-vapor-deposition vapor–liquid–solid growth process using Cu growth catalysts, with a radial np junction then formed on each microwire. A Nafion proton-exchange membrane was introduced between the microwires and Pt electrocatalysts were then photoelectrochemically deposited on the microwires. The composite Si/Pt– Nafion membrane was mechanically removed from the growth substrate, and Pt electrocatalysts were then also deposited on the back side of the structure. The resulting membrane-bound Si microwire arrays spontaneously split concentrated HI into H2(g) and I3 under 1 Sun of simulated solar illumination. The reaction products (i.e. H2 and I3 ) were confirmed by mass spectrometry and ultraviolet–visible electronic absorption spectroscopy.