Computational assessment of non-polar and polar GaP terminations for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Apergi, Sofia, Chandrasekharan, Sreejith Pallikkara, Cornet, Charles, Pedesseau, Laurent
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Apergi, Sofia
Chandrasekharan, Sreejith Pallikkara
Cornet, Charles
Pedesseau, Laurent
author_facet Apergi, Sofia
Chandrasekharan, Sreejith Pallikkara
Cornet, Charles
Pedesseau, Laurent
contents With photoelectrochemical water splitting being one of the most promising approaches for clean energy production and storage, the search for efficient photoelectrode materials is greater than ever. Gallium phosphide (GaP) is a well-established semiconductor with suitable band edge positions that has already been successfully employed in photoelectrochemical solar cells. However, to utilize it as efficiently as possible, a proper understanding of its properties when interfaced with water is required, and this is currently lacking. In this work we use ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to study the properties of the aqueous interfaces of various GaP non-polar (110) and polar (001) terminations. We calculate their band alignment with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode potential and investigate their interfacial structural properties. Based on these properties we assess the capability of the various terminations to catalyze the reactions associated with water splitting and propose approaches for improving the performance of GaP for application in PECs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_03579
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Computational assessment of non-polar and polar GaP terminations for photoelectrochemical water splitting
Apergi, Sofia
Chandrasekharan, Sreejith Pallikkara
Cornet, Charles
Pedesseau, Laurent
Materials Science
With photoelectrochemical water splitting being one of the most promising approaches for clean energy production and storage, the search for efficient photoelectrode materials is greater than ever. Gallium phosphide (GaP) is a well-established semiconductor with suitable band edge positions that has already been successfully employed in photoelectrochemical solar cells. However, to utilize it as efficiently as possible, a proper understanding of its properties when interfaced with water is required, and this is currently lacking. In this work we use ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to study the properties of the aqueous interfaces of various GaP non-polar (110) and polar (001) terminations. We calculate their band alignment with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode potential and investigate their interfacial structural properties. Based on these properties we assess the capability of the various terminations to catalyze the reactions associated with water splitting and propose approaches for improving the performance of GaP for application in PECs.
title Computational assessment of non-polar and polar GaP terminations for photoelectrochemical water splitting
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03579