Perovskite Solar Cell Concepts Applied to Integrated Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting for Hydrogen Production
Vera La Ferrara a, Rosanna Viscardi b, Marco Martino a, Antonio Marino a, Giovanni Landi c, Silvano Del Gobbo b, Nicola Lisi b, Alberto Giaconia b
a ENEA - Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, ENEA Portici Research Center, Portici (Italy)
b ENEA - Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources Department, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Rome, (Italy)
c ENEA - Energy Efficiency Unit Department, ENEA Portici Research Center, Portici (Italy)
Proceedings of International Conference on Hybrid and Organic Photovoltaics (HOPV26)
Uppsala, Sweden, 2026 May 18th - 20th
Organizers: Gerrit Boschloo, Ellen Moons, Feng Gao and Anders Hagfeldt
Oral, Vera La Ferrara, presentation 113
Publication date: 11th March 2026

In this work, we investigate monolithic perovskite photoanodes derived from perovskite solar cell architecture, aiming to integrate light absorption and anodic functionality within a single device for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications to drive solar water splitting. A glass/ITO/SnO₂/perovskite structure is adapted from conventional n–i–p photovoltaic layouts to operate as a photoanode under alkaline conditions relevant for water oxidation. This approach enables direct utilization of the high photovoltage generated by the perovskite absorber, while reducing architectural complexity compared to photovoltaic-assisted PEC configurations [1-2]. A key focus of this study is the engineering of the perovskite–interface region, which governs charge extraction, recombination losses and operational behavior under illumination. Nickel-based catalytic overlayers supported on carbon paper were introduced to promote efficient hole transfer from the perovskite absorber to the electrolyte, while preserving favorable interfacial energy alignment. From a perovskite perspective, this strategy allows decoupling of bulk optoelectronic optimization (bandgap, absorption, carrier transport) from interfacial electrochemical functionality. Photoelectrochemical measurements under simulated solar illumination, combined with structural and morphological characterization, reveal that appropriate interfacial design leads to enhanced photocurrent response and reduced onset potentials for water oxidation. These results demonstrate that architectural and interfacial engineering are essential for translating perovskite photovoltaic performance into efficient photoelectrochemical operation. Overall, this work positions halide perovskites as versatile platform materials that can bridge photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical technologies, providing insights relevant to the development of next-generation perovskite-based devices for solar fuel applications.

 

This research was funded by the European Union – NextGeneration EU from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, POR H2 AdP MEES/ENEA with involvement of CNR and RSE, PNRR - Mission 2, Component 2, Investment 3.5 "Ricerca e sviluppo sull’idrogeno", CUP: I83C22001170006

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