Improved Stability of Atomic Layer Deposited Amorphous TiO₂ Photoelectrode Coatings by Thermally Induced Oxygen Defects.

ABSTRACT: Amorphous titanium dioxide (a-TiO₂) combined with an electrocatalyst has shown to be a promising coating for stabilizing traditional semiconductor materials used in artificial photosynthesis for efficient photoelectrochemical solar-to-fuel energy conversion. In this study we report a detailed analysis of two methods of modifying an undoped thin film of atomic layer deposited (ALD) a-TiO₂ without an electrocatalyst to affect its performance in water splitting reaction as a protective photoelectrode coating. The methods are high-temperature annealing in ultrahigh vacuum and atomic hydrogen exposure. A key feature in both methods is that they preserve the amorphous structure of the film. Special attention is paid to the changes in the molecular and electronic structure o

SUBMITTER: Hannula M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6156093 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature