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Rational design of perovskite-based artificial leaves for solar chemical synthesis

Date 15 May 2025
Time 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (HKT)
Venue Lecture Theatre P3, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building
Speaker Dr. Virgil ANDREI
Institution St. John's College
University of Cambridge
Self Photos / Files - Dr. Virgil Andrei Seminar Poster
 
Title:
Rational design of perovskite-based artificial leaves for solar chemical synthesis
 
Schedule:
Date: 15th May, 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 4 - 5 pm (HKT)
 
Venue: Lecture Theatre P3, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building
 
Speaker:
Dr. Virgil ANDREI
 
St. John's College
University of Cambridge
 
Biography:
Dr. Virgil Andrei was born in Bucharest, Romania. He obtained his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in chemistry from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, where he studied thermoelectric polymer pastes and films in the group of Prof. Klaus Rademann (2014–2016). He then pursued a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Cambridge (2016–2020), where he developed perovskite-based artificial leaves in the group of Prof. Erwin Reisner, working closely with the optoelectronics group of Prof. Richard Friend at the Cavendish Laboratory. He was a visiting Winton Fellow in the group of Prof. Peidong Yang at the University of California, Berkeley, and is currently a Title A Research Fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge. His work places a strong focus on material design and practical applications, introducing modern fabrication techniques towards low-cost, large-scale solar fuel production.
 
Abstract:

Metal halide perovskites have emerged as promising alternatives to commonly employed light absorbers for solar fuel synthesis, enabling unassisted photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting[1,2] and CO2 reduction to syngas.[3,4] While the bare perovskite light absorber is rapidly degraded by moisture, recent developments in the device structure have led to substantial advances in the device stability. Here, I will give an overview of the latest progress in perovskite PEC devices, introducing design principles to improve their performance and reliability. For this purpose, we will discuss the role of charge selective layers in increasing the device photocurrent and photovoltage, by fine-tuning the band alignment and enabling efficient charge separation. A further beneficial effect of hydrophobicity is revealed by comparing devices with different hole transport layers (HTLs).[1,2] On the manufacturing side, I will provide new insights into how appropriate encapsulation techniques can extend the device lifetime to a few days under operation in aqueous media.[2,3] To this end, we replace low melting alloys with graphite epoxy paste as a conductive, hydrophobic and low-cost encapsulant.[2,5] These design principles are successfully applied to an underexplored BiOI light absorber, increasing the photocathode stability towards hydrogen evolution from minutes to months.[6] We next address the challenges of scalable solar fuels production, showcasing our latest progress in terms of device manufacturing. A suitable choice of materials can decrease the device cost tenfold and expand the device functionality, resulting in flexible, floating artificial leaves.[4] Those materials are compatible with large-scale, automated fabrication processes, which present the most potential towards future real-world applications.[7,8] Similar PEC systems approaching a m2 size can take advantage of the modularity of artificial leaves,[9] whereas thermoelectric generators can further bolster water splitting by utilizing waste heat to provide an additional Seebeck voltage.[10,11] Lastly, I will introduce PEC devices as a versatile platform to produce value-added chemicals including C2 hydrocarbons (ethene, ethylene) and  glycerol oxidation products, by interfacing the perovskite semiconductor with copper nanoflower catalysts and silicon nanowires.[12]

 

References:

[1] Andrei, V. et al. Adv. Energy Mater. 2018, 8, 1801403.

[2] Pornrungroj, C.; Andrei, V et al. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2021, 31, 2008182.
[3] Andrei, V.; Reuillard, B.; Reisner, E. Nat. Mater. 2020, 19, 189–194.
[4] Andrei, V.; Ucoski, G. M. et al. Nature 2022, 608, 518–522.
[5] Andrei, V.; Bethke, K.; Rademann, K. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2016, 18, 10700–10707.
[6] Andrei, V.; Jagt, R. A. et al. Nat. Mater. 2022, 21, 864–868.
[7] Sokol, K. P.; Andrei, V. Nat. Rev. Mater. 2022, 7, 251–253.
[8] Andrei, V.; Roh, I.; Yang, P. Sci. Adv. 2023, 9, eade9044.
[9] Andrei, V.; Chiang, Y.-H. et al. Energy Environ. Sci. 2025. DOI: 10.1039/D4EE05780E.
[10] Andrei, V.; Bethke, K.; Rademann, K. Energy Environ. Sci. 2016, 9, 1528–1532.
[11] Pornrungroj, C.; Andrei, V.; Reisner, E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 13709–13714.
[12] Andrei, V.; Roh, I. et al. Nat. Catal. 2025, 8, 137–146.
 
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