The present invention discloses a preparation method based on an integrated cuprous
oxide photocathode. The method includes the preparation of a
protein template, the step of preparing a
hole transport layer on a conductive substrate, the formation of an inverse
protein cuprous
oxide photonic crystal structure, and the preparation of a protective layer. Its feature lies in that the step of preparing the
photocathode based on the multiple modification of cuprous
oxide photonic crystals includes: self-assembling a nanoscale
protein template on the substrate with a
hole transport layer, then
electroplating cuprous oxide and a protective layer by an electrochemical method, and finally forming a multifunctional
photocathode with an inverse protein
photonic crystal structure through a high-temperature
pyrolysis method or a
solvent adsorption and
desorption method. The multi-layer modified inverse protein Cu2O photocathode obtained by the present invention presents an ordered porous structure and exhibits the characteristics of a
photonic crystal. By controlling the size of the protein template, the internal morphology of the inverse protein photonic
crystal is regulated, and with the assistance of superimposing multi-layer functional thin films, three goals are achieved: a, improving the light capture ability of the material; b, increasing the photogenerated
charge separation efficiency and accelerating the transfer of photogenerated electrons-holes from the bulk to prevent their self-oxidation; c, and avoiding the self-reduction of cuprous oxide through the presence of the protective layer. In the photo-electrochemical catalytic
carbon dioxide reaction, the integrated Cu2O photocathode efficiently converts
carbon dioxide into
carbon monoxide (Φ STC = 1.6%, Yeild CO = 46.7 mmol / h).