Current progress and challenges in photoelectrode materials for the production of hydrogen

Abstract

The development of alternative clean and renewable fuels has become the need of the hour due to the decreasing supply of fossil fuels. Solar hydrogen produced from water is a sustainable, green substitute for fossil fuels for a variety of applications (e.g., transport, power generation, and industrial energy). However, cost-effective, efficient, and stable production of hydrogen fuel from water is a challenge for real-world applications. In pursuit of cost-effective and large-scale commercialization (e.g., photoproduction) of hydrogen from water, attempts were made to describe an up-to-date knowledge on photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting processes. In this respect, solar hydrogen production based on semiconductor photoelectrodes (PEs) is regarded as a highly effective option. In this review, we summarize the development of the PEC-based water splitting processes with respect to the efficiency and stability of the PEs. This study is thus expected to help open new paths for the establishment of a sustainable, renewable, and clean energy economy.