Videos

Prof James Durrant talking about the solar driven synthesis of sustainable fuels: Photochemistry, in CINE WEBNAR, June 2020 Play video
Prof James Durrant talking about the solar driven synthesis of sustainable fuels: Photochemistry, in CINE WEBNAR, June 2020

The solar driven synthesis of sustainable fuels

Published on June 23, 2020, CINE WEBINAR

Prof James Durrant talks on the particular challenge of the solar driven synthesis of fuels and chemicals, and its potential role in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. He also reviews approaches to artificial photosynthesis, and the lessons which can be learnt from biological photosynthesis, as well as challenges and opportunities for photovoltaics plus electrolysis.

Prof James Durrant talking about Organic solar Cells in HOPV2020 online seminar Play video
Prof James Durrant talking about Organic solar Cells in HOPV2020 online seminar

Introduction to Organic Solar cells

Published on June 8, 2020, HOPV2020

Prof James Durrant talks about background of the organic solar cell with introduction includes the efficiency advances in  organic solar cells with the ITIC and Y6 NFA's, compare charge carrier dynamics in organic and perovskite solar cells and talks about the energetics in organic solar cells.

Sacha Corby talking about her paper "Charge Separation, Band-Bending, and Recombination in WO3 Photoanodes" published in J. Phy Chem.lett.,August, 2019 Play video
Sacha Corby talking about her paper "Charge Separation, Band-Bending, and Recombination in WO3 Photoanodes" published in J. Phy Chem.lett.,August, 2019

Sacha Corby

Sacha Corby talking about her paper "Charge Separation, Band-Bending, and Recombination in WO3 Photoanodes" 

Published on August 2019, Phy.Chem.Lett

Abstract

In metal oxide-based photoelectrochemical devices, the spatial separation of photogenerated electrons and holes is typically attributed to band-bending at the oxide/electrolyte interface. However, direct evidence of such band-bending impacting upon charge carrier lifetimes has been very limited to date. Herein we use ultrafast spectroscopy to track the rapid relaxation of holes in the space-charge layer and their recombination with trapped electrons in WO3 photoanodes. We observe that applied bias can significantly increase carrier lifetimes on all time scales from picoseconds to seconds and attribute this to enhanced band-bending correlated with changes in oxygen vacancy state occupancy. We show that analogous enhancements in carrier lifetimes can be obtained by changes in electrolyte composition, even in the absence of applied bias, highlighting routes to improve photoconversion yields/performance, through changes in band-bending. This study thus demonstrates the direct connection between carrier lifetime enhancement, increased band-bending, and oxygen vacancy defect state occupancy.