Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Using Novel Heteroatom-Doped Carbon Under Solar Simulated Radiation

A transition to hydrogen as a major fuel could transform the United States and the global energy system, increasing energy security while reducing environmental impact. This major transformation of our energy system would require a sustainable production of hydrogen using renewable resources. Hydrogen production using photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been considered as a “holy grail” of sustainable hydrogen economy. PEC water splitting is achieved by direct utilization of solar energy using a semiconductor material as electrode. Despite four decades of research since it was first shown that n-type TiO
₂
can be used for water splitting using sunlight, the search for a material that can efficiently harness solar energy for photoelectrolysis is still on. This paper will address some of the key challenges in the development of a material that is photoactive, stable, corrosion resistant, and cost effective. For the first time, this paper presents the PEC characterization of a novel phosphorus-nitrogen-doped carbon material (PNDC). The photocurrent density obtained under visible radiation was 0.416 mA/cm
²
. This discovery opens up a large number of possibilities in development of a new class of carbon-based materials for PEC hydrogen production.