Hydrogen generation from aqueous water using n-GaN by photoassisted electrolysis

We propose a new GaN application for water splitting using photoelectrolysis. Hydrogen gas generation from a counterelectrode was clearly observed using light-illuminated n-type GaN as a working photoelectrode in an electrolyte. The hydrogen generation in KOH was the highest. Corrosion of GaN in NaCl and HCl was, however, quite less than that in KOH during photoelectrolysis. A combination of GaN and HCl is promising in stable photo-electrolysis for H-2 generation. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.