Catalytic materials, photoanodes, and photoelectrochemical cells for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques

Abstract

Catalytic materials, photoanodes, and systems for electrolysis and/or formation of water are provided which can be used for energy storage, particularly in the area of solar energy conversion, and/or production of oxygen and/or hydrogen. Compositions and methods for forming photoanodes and other devices are also provided.

1 . A method for forming a photoanode for the catalytic production of oxygen from water, comprising:
 providing a solution comprising metal ionic species and anionic species;   providing a photoactive electrode; and   causing the metal ionic species and the anionic species to form a catalytic material associated with the photoactive electrode by application of a voltage to the photoactive electrode.   
   
   
       2 . A method for producing oxygen from water, comprising the steps of:
 providing a photoelectrochemical cell comprising:
 a photoactive electrode; 
 an electrolyte; and 
 a catalytic material integrally connected to the photoactive electrode the catalytic material comprising metal ionic species and anionic species, and wherein the catalytic material does not consist essentially of a metal oxide or metal hydroxide; and 
   illuminating the photoelectrochemical cell with light to thereby produce oxygen from water.   
   
   
       3 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage is applied to the photoactive electrode by a power source. 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage is applied to the photoactive electrode by exposing the photoactive electrode to electromagnetic radiation. 
   
   
       13 - 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anionic species comprises phosphorus. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal ionic species comprises cobalt ions. 
   
   
       36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal ionic species with an oxidation state of (n+x) and the anionic species define a substantially non-crystalline composition and have a K sp  value which is less, by a factor of at least 10 3 , than the K sp  value of a composition comprising the metal ionic species with an oxidation state of (n) and the anionic species. 
   
   
       38 . (canceled) 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the photoelectrochemical cell further comprises a second electrode. 
   
   
       40 - 41 . (canceled) 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the second electrode is a photoactive electrode. 
   
   
       43 - 49 . (canceled) 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the water contains at least one impurity 
   
   
       51 - 82 . (canceled) 
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal ionic species comprise at least a first and a second type of metal ionic species. 
   
   
       84 - 91 . (canceled) 
   
   
       92 . A photoanode for the catalytic production of oxygen from water, comprising:
 a photoactive electrode; and   a catalytic material comprising metal ionic species and anionic species, wherein the catalytic material is formed by application of a voltage to a photoactive electrode.   
   
   
       93 . The photoanode of  claim 92 , wherein the metal ionic species comprises cobalt ions. 
   
   
       94 . The photoanode of  claim 92 , wherein the anionic species comprises phosphorus. 
   
   
       95 - 98 . (canceled) 
   
   
       99 . The photoanode of  claim 94 , wherein the anionic species comprising phosphorus is selected from the group consisting of HPO 4   −2 , H 2 PO 4   −2 , PO 4   −3 , H 3 PO 3 , HPO 3   −2 , H 2 PO 3   −2  Or PO 3   −3 . 
   
   
       100 - 121 . (canceled) 
   
   
       122 . A photoelectrochemical device for electrolysis of water, comprising:
 a photoanode of  claim 92 .   
   
   
       123 - 139 . (canceled) 
   
   
       140 . The photoanode of  claim 92 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a first type of metal ionic species and a second type of metal ionic species. 
   
   
       141 . (canceled) 
   
   
       142 . The photoanode of  claim 92 , wherein the anionic species is selected from the group comprising forms of phosphate, forms of sulphate, forms of carbonate, forms of arsenate, forms of phosphite, forms of silicate, or forms of borate. 
   
   
       143 - 185 . (canceled) 
   
   
       186 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anionic species comprises phosphorus. 
   
   
       187 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the metal ionic species comprises cobalt ions.