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Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Activity by Autologous Cd/CdO/CdS Heterojunction Photoanodes with High Conductivity and Separation Efficiency
Author(s) -
Xie Shilei,
Zhang Peng,
Zhang Min,
Liu Peng,
Li Wei,
Lu Xihong,
Cheng Faliang,
Tong Yexiang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201701219
Subject(s) - heterojunction , materials science , sulfite , cadmium sulfide , chemical engineering , layer (electronics) , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
The development for hydrogen from solar energy has attracted great attention due to the global demand for clean, environmentally friendly energy. Herein, autologous Cd/CdO/CdS heterojunctions were prepared in a carefully controlled process with metallic Cd as the inner layer and CdO as the interlayer. Further research revealed that the transportation and separation of photogenerated pairs were enhanced due to low resistance of the Cd inner layer and the type II CdO/CdS heterojunction. As a result, the optimized Cd/CdO/CdS heterojunction photoanode showed outstanding and long‐term photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting, with a current density of 3.52 mA cm −2 , or a benchmark specific hydrogen production rate of 1.65 μmol cm −2 min −1 at −0.3 V versus Ag/AgCl, by using the environmental pollutants of sulfide and sulfite as sacrificial agents.