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Laser-Ablated Cu2O Inks Enable Stable, Flexible Spray-Processed Photocathodes
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DOI：10.1002/sstr.202500892.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Cu2O is a benchmark photocathode for solar-driven hydrogen production, but its application is limited by poor interfacial stability and reliance on complex protective multilayers. Here, we combine pulsed laser ablation in liquid (LAL) with ultrasonic spray coating to produce fully solution-processed Cu2O inks that can be deposited as thin, uniform films. LAL yields compact nanogranular layers embedding a controlled fraction of Cu0 nanodomains, enhancing interfacial conductivity while preserving the Cu2O crystalline framework. Under near-neutral conditions and mild, nondestructive bias (+0.2 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode), LAL-based photocathodes exhibit reduced charge–transfer resistance, faster HER interfacial kinetics, and stable photocurrent retention. In contrast, microwave-derived Cu2O films suffer from poor cohesion and rapid electrochemical and structural degradation. Correlative electrochemical and post-mortem analyses demonstrate that LAL produces defect-tolerant Cu2O/Cu0 interfaces capable of sustaining device functionality in conditions where unprotected Cu2O typically fails. These results position laser-ablated Cu2O inks as a platform for spray-deposited and flexible photoelectrochemical architectures without complex protective stacks.
Keywords:
copper (I) oxide
laser ablation
photoelectrochemistry
solution-processed inks
spray coating