Surface engineered doping of hematite nanorod arrays for improved photoelectrochemical water splitting.

ABSTRACT: Given the narrow band gap enabling excellent optical absorption, increased charge carrier density and accelerated surface oxidation reaction kinetics become the key points for improved photoelectrochemical performances for water splitting over hematite (α-Fe2O3) photoanodes. In this study, a facile and inexpensive method was demonstrated to develop core/shell structured α-Fe2O3 nanorod arrays. A thin, Ag-doped overlayer of ~2-3 nm thickness was formed along α-Fe2O3 nanorods via ultrasonication treatment of solution-based β-FeOOH nanorods in Ag precursor solution followed by high temperature annealing. The obtained α-Fe2O3/AgxFe2-xO3 core/shell nanorod films demonstrated much higher photoelectrochemical performances as photoanodes than the pristine α-Fe2O3 nanorod film, especially in the vi

SUBMITTER: Shen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4197419 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature