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

Abstract 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 H2 generation. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)