N Doping to ZnO Nanorods for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting under Visible Light: Engineered Impurity Distribution and Terraced Band Structure.

ABSTRACT: Solution-based ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) were modified with controlled N doping by an advanced ion implantation method, and were subsequently utilized as photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under visible light irradiation. A gradient distribution of N dopants along the vertical direction of ZnO nanorods was realized. N doped ZnO NRAs displayed a markedly enhanced visible-light-driven PEC photocurrent density of ~160 μA/cm(2) at 1.1 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE), which was about 2 orders of magnitude higher than pristine ZnO NRAs. The gradiently distributed N dopants not only extended the optical absorption edges to visible light region, but also introduced terraced band structure. As a consequence, N gradient-doped ZnO NRAs can not only utilize the visible

SUBMITTER: Wang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4531782 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature