Yi, ZhiguoWithers, RaymondLiu, Yun2015-12-101388-2481http://hdl.handle.net/1885/61145The search for an energy efficient means of utilizing sunlight to carry out solar-driven water splitting continues to be a subject of intense investigation. In a recent publication (Z. G. Yi et al., Nature Mater. 9 (2010), 559-564), a simple Ag3PO4 semiconductor material was shown to possess strong photo-oxidative properties under visible-light irradiation. Here we report a novel two-step approach that enables energy-efficient, solar-driven water splitting at room temperature in the presence of powdered silver orthophosphate. The approach proposed avoids the use of a low-efficiency, thin-film photo-electrode and turns the instability of the silver orthophosphate semiconductor material into an advantage.Keywords: Energy efficient; Hydrogen energy; Oxidative properties; Photochemistry; Photoelectrode; Room temperature; Two-step approach; Visible-light irradiation; Water splitting; Electrochemistry; Electrolysis; Hydrogen; Semiconductor materials; Silver; Solar ener Electrolysis; Hydrogen energy; Photochemistry; Water splitting201110.1016/j.elecom.2010.11.0042016-02-24