Solar Energy Conversion and Photoelectrochemistry

From semiconductor nanostructures at molecular interfaces to thin-film photovoltaic devices, the Bristol Electrochemistry group studies a wide range of interfaces and their interaction with light. Activities involve the synthesis of binary, ternary and quaternary semiconductors by chemical methods. Our group has generated active layers for thin-film photovoltaic devices displaying power conversion efficiencies above 5 %. We also investigate dynamic (photo)electrochemical responses to address the dynamics of charge transport, population of trap states, interfacial charge transfer and recombination.

• Tiwari, D.; Koehler, T.; Lin, X.; Harniman, R.; Griffiths, I.; Wang, L.; Cherns, D.; Klenk, R.; Fermin, D. J., Cu₂ZnSnS₄ Thin Films Generated from a Single Solution Based Precursor: The Effect of Na and Sb Doping., Chemistry of Materials 2016, 28, 4991-4997.
• Plana, D.; Bradley, K.; Tiwari, D.; Fermín, D., Over 75% incident-photon-to-current efficiency without solid electrodes., Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2016, 18, 12428-12433.
• Kattan, N.; Griffiths, I.; Cherns, D.; Fermín, D., Observation of antisite domain boundaries in Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 by atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy., Nanoscale 2016, 8, 14369-14373.

Electrocatalysis for Energy

The Bristol Electrochemistry group has a large portfolio of activities in the area of electrocatalysis. Our research covers the synthesis of multi-metallic nanostructures with controlled size and composition as well as transition metal oxides nanoparticles. We investigate reactions relevant to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and electrolysers such as CO oxidation, formic acid and methanol oxidation, the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions and CO₂ conversion to fuels.

• Humphrey, J. J.; Plana, D.; Celorrio, V.; Sadasivan, S.; Tooze, R. P.; Rodríguez, P.; Fermín, D. J., Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Gold‐Palladium Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Product Distribution versus Shell Thickness., ChemCatChem 2016.
• Celorrio, V.; Dann, E.; Calvillo, L.; Morgan, D. J.; Hall, S. R.; Fermin, D. J., Oxygen Reduction at Carbon‐Supported Lanthanides: The Role of the B‐Site., ChemElectroChem 2016, 3, 283-291.
• Celorrio, V.; Calvillo, L.; Dann, E.; Granozzi, G.; Aguadero, A.; Kramer, D.; Russell, A. E.; Fermín, D. J., Oxygen reduction reaction at La x Ca 1− x MnO 3 nanostructures: interplay between A-site segregation and B-site valency., Catalysis Science & Technology 2016.