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Surface‐Polarity‐Induced Spatial Charge Separation Boosts Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting on GaN Nanorod Arrays
Author(s) -
Li Zheng,
Zhang Liang,
Liu Yong,
Shao Chenyi,
Gao Yuying,
Fan Fengtao,
Wang Junxi,
Li Jinmin,
Yan Janchang,
Li Rengui,
Li Can
Publication year - 2020
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.201912844
Subject(s) - nanorod , photocatalysis , materials science , water splitting , band bending , polarity (international relations) , semiconductor , polar , optoelectronics , wide bandgap semiconductor , gallium nitride , photocatalytic water splitting , charge carrier , nanotechnology , photochemistry , chemical engineering , chemistry , catalysis , layer (electronics) , physics , biochemistry , astronomy , engineering , cell
Photocatalytic overall water splitting has been recognized as a promising approach to convert solar energy into hydrogen. However, most of the photocatalysts suffer from low efficiencies mainly because of poor charge separation. Herein, taking a model semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) as an example, we uncovered that photogenerated electrons and holes can be spatially separated to the nonpolar and polar surfaces of GaN nanorod arrays, which is presumably ascribed to the different surface band bending induced by the surface polarity. The photogenerated charge separation efficiency of GaN can be enhanced significantly from about 8 % to more than 80 % via co‐exposing polar and nonpolar surfaces. Furthermore, spatially assembling reduction and oxidation cocatalysts on the nonpolar and polar surfaces remarkably boosts photocatalytic overall water splitting, with the quantum efficiency increased from 0.9 % for the film photocatalyst to 6.9 % for the nanorod arrays photocatalyst.