Oxygen deficient α-Fe₂O₃ photoelectrodes: a balance between enhanced electrical properties and trap-mediated losses.

ABSTRACT: Intrinsic doping of hematite through the inclusion of oxygen vacancies (V_O) is being increasingly explored as a simple, low temperature route to preparing active water splitting α-Fe₂O_3-x photoelectrodes. Whilst it is widely accepted that the introduction of V_O leads to improved conductivities, little else is verified regarding the actual mechanism of enhancement. Here we employ transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to build a comprehensive kinetic model for water oxidation on α-Fe₂O_3-x . In contrast to previous suggestions, the primary effect of introducing V_O is to block very slow (ms) surface hole - bulk electron recombination pathways. In light of our mechanistic research we are also able to ide

SUBMITTER: Forster M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5497273 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature