The Photoelectrochemistry Laboratory is equipped for the synthesis of nanostructured thin films via chemical routes and complete (photo)electrochemical characterization. The laboratory features different techniques for the deposition of nanometric films ranging in size from millimeters to square meters by dip-coating, spraying, and controlled spin-coating, as well as ovens for heat treatment in different atmospheres. In addition, the laboratory can manufacture films under conventional and microwave-assisted hydrothermal conditions with high control and reproducibility. The lab also boasts a full infrastructure for manufacturing thin films with optimum morphology and thickness control in different dimensions for a wide range of applications, mainly electrochemical devices for energy production and storage.

Equipment

The laboratory is equipped with all the required infrastructure for manufacturing nanostructured films in different platforms and dimensions via the chemical route. The FTQ also features a dark room prepared for electrochemical and photoelectrochemical characterization, with potentiostats/galvanostats coupled to spectrophotometers and chromatographs (gas analysis) for in-situ monitoring of (photo)electrolysis processes (generation of oxygen and hydrogen gas), photodegradation under the influence of simulated sunlight or ultraviolet radiation. The FTQ also boasts potentiostats with accessories for characterization using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and a Faraday cage, and experiments can be performed under unlit and lit conditions using solar simulators (certified and with varying filters to simulate different irradiation conditions). It also allows performing optical and electrical characterizations (electrical impedance spectroscopy) and photodegradation and electrolysis on materials in powder form, as the equipment listed above was acquired together with accessories that allow for these analyses. The laboratory also features a system for analyzing charge dynamics using a spectroscopic technique that combines monitoring of the electrical and optical response by modulated light (LEDs with different wavelengths), along with equipment for monitoring the quantum efficiency of materials by tracking the ratio of photons absorbed and converted into photocurrent. In summary, the laboratory provides a very diverse infrastructure for electrochemical and photoelectrochemical characterization, mainly focusing on understanding the phenomena that limit potential materials for application as photoelectrodes for generating H2 via solar-assisted electrolysis.​