Photoelectrochemical hydrogen production by a cobalt tetrapyridyl catalyst using push-pull dye-sensitised NiO photocathodes

In this article, the synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a novel push–pull organic dye, pRK1, are reported. The photoelectrochemical activity for H2 production of NiO photocathodes sensitized with pRK1 (NiO|pRK1) was evaluated in combination with a cobalt tetrapyridyl catalyst in aqueous electrolyte. Comparison with two reference dyes from the literature shows that NiO|pRK1 is the most efficient photocathode. This study demonstrates that the chemical structure of dyes commonly used in DSSCs can be modified to meet the requirements for light-driven water splitting in DS-PECs.