A PMMA overlayer improving the surface-bound stability of photoanode for water splitting

A PMMA (polymethly methacrylate) oligomer coating photoanode sensitized with the Ru(bpy) 3 phosphoric acid derivative 1 as photosensitizer and complex 2 as water oxidation catalyst was assembled for light driven water splitting. A simple and effective method was optimized by immersing the sensitized photoanode into the DCM solution dissolving 2   wt% PMMA for 15   s. With the decorated photoanode as working electrode, the DS-PEC displayed much better long-term stability, the photocurrent density of which was found to be 0.57   mA/cm 2 after 200   s sustaining light illumination and is four times as high as the undecorated one (0.15   mA/cm 2 ).