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Enhancing Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Efficiency of WO 3 /α‐Fe 2 O 3 Heterojunction Photoanodes by Surface Functionalization with CoPd Nanocrystals
Author(s) -
Davi Martin,
Ogutu George,
Schrader Felix,
Rokicinska Anna,
Kustrowski Piotr,
Slabon Adam
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201700952
Subject(s) - photocurrent , heterojunction , photoelectrochemistry , photoelectrochemical cell , chemistry , water splitting , reversible hydrogen electrode , nanocrystal , chemical engineering , nanostructure , semiconductor , surface modification , nanotechnology , photocatalysis , oxide , electrolyte , electrode , inorganic chemistry , materials science , optoelectronics , working electrode , catalysis , electrochemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Sunlight can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen by means of a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell. Oxide nanostructures in heterojunction geometry, consisting of anisotropic WO 3 nanostructures coated with a second semiconductor having a narrower band gap, such as α‐Fe 2 O 3 , have emerged as prospective photoanodes. Herein, the integration of monodisperse CoPd nanocrystals (NCs) with α‐Fe 2 O 3 and WO 3 /α‐Fe 2 O 3 heterojunction semiconductor nanostructures for PEC water oxidation is reported. Depositing CoPd NCs on the surface of hematite leads to more stable photocurrent in comparison to the bare electrode, which indicates improved electron–hole separation at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. Altering the surface of WO 3 /α‐Fe 2 O 3 photoanodes with CoPd NCs induces a cathodic shift of the onset potential and increases photocurrent density from 0.15 to 0.5 mA cm –2 during water oxidation at 1.23 V versus RHE under AM 1.5 G illumination (pH 7).