Final Report Summary - PHOTOCATH2ODE (Gathering organic and hybrid photovoltaics with artificial photosynthesis for Photo-Electro-Chemical production of hydrogen)
Within this project, we have fabricated operating photocathodes based on Earth abundant elements for the conversion of solar light energy into hydrogen answering therefore the sustainability and cost-effectiveness issues. The novelty relies on the approach gathering organic photovoltaics and dye-sensitized solar cell technology with noble-metal free catalysts developed in the context of artificial photosynthesis. To select the catalyst, we developed tools to benchmark their activity for H2 evolution and to study their mode of action so that rational optimization becomes possible. We also developed a methodology at the interface between chemistry and biology to fully activate hydrogenase enzymes, the natural catalysts present in some microbes and algae to produce hydrogen.