Origin of High-Efficiency Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting on Hematite/Functional Nanohybrid Metal Oxide Overlayer Photoanode after a Low Temperature Inert Gas Annealing Treatment.

ABSTRACT: A simplistic and low-cost method that dramatically improves the performance of solution-grown hematite photoanodes for solar-driven water splitting through incorporation of nanohybrid metal oxide overlayers was developed. By heating the α-Fe₂O₃/SnO₂-TiO₂ electrode in an inert atmosphere, such as argon or nitrogen, the photocurrent increased to over 2 mA/cm² at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode, which is 10 times higher than that of pure hematite under 1 sun (100 mW/cm², AM 1.5G) light illumination. For the first time, we found a significant morphological difference between argon and nitrogen gas heat-treated hematite films and discussed the consequences for photoresponse. The origin for the enhancement, probed vi

SUBMITTER: Ho-Kimura S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6649254 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature