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Dual Oxygen and Tungsten Vacancies on a WO 3 Photoanode for Enhanced Water Oxidation
Author(s) -
Ma Ming,
Zhang Kan,
Li Ping,
Jung Myung Sun,
Jeong Myung Jin,
Park Jong Hyeok
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201605247
Subject(s) - overlayer , materials science , photocurrent , electrolyte , water splitting , oxygen evolution , mesoporous material , chemical engineering , tungsten , oxygen , nanoparticle , electrode , nanotechnology , photocatalysis , optoelectronics , chemistry , catalysis , electrochemistry , metallurgy , biochemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Alleviating charge recombination at the electrode/electrolyte interface by introducing an overlayer is considered an efficient approach to improve photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. A WO 3 overlayer with dual oxygen and tungsten vacancies was prepared by using a solution‐based reducing agent, LEDA (lithium dissolved in ethylenediamine), which improved the PEC performance of the mesoporous WO 3 photoanode dramatically. In comparison to the pristine samples, the interconnected WO 3 nanoparticles surrounded by a 2–2.5 nm thick overlayer exhibited a photocurrent density approximately 2.4 times higher and a marked cathodic shift of the onset potential, which is mainly attributed to the facilitative effect on interface charge transfer and the improved conductivity by enhanced charge carrier density. This simple and effective strategy may provide a new path to improve the PEC performance of other photoanodes.