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Fabrication and Characterization of Type‐II Heterostructure n:In 2 O 3 /p:in‐TiO 2 for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity
Author(s) -
Nair Sinitha B.,
John K. Aijo,
Joseph Julie Ann,
Babu Shinto,
Shinoj V. K.,
Remillard Stephen K.,
Shaji Sadasivan,
Philip Rachel Reena
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.202000441
Subject(s) - materials science , heterojunction , photocatalysis , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , anatase , overlayer , band gap , indium , nanotechnology , analytical chemistry (journal) , optoelectronics , chemical engineering , chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , chromatography , engineering
The photodegradation rate of anatase TiO 2 is enhanced by about 11 times (from 0.0015 to 0.016 min −1 ) by construction of a type‐II p–n heterostructure of configuration n:In 2 O 3 /p:In‐doped TiO 2 . A simple and cost‐effective two‐stage electrochemical anodization is used for the fabrication of this comparatively stable and recyclable photocatalyst of vertically aligned indium‐doped TiO 2 nanotubes with an overlayer of n‐type In 2 O 3 nanoparticles. The modified structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and electrical properties of the TiO 2 nanotubes are studied in detail by X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, reflectance measurements, and electrical conductivity measurements. The enhancement in device performance by the heterostructure is attributable to the tuning of optical bandgap to the visible energy region of solar spectrum, the effective electron–hole pair separation at the potential barrier, and the increase in surface‐to‐volume ratio and effective adsorption area of the photocatalyst by the structural modification with nanoparticles and the nanotube formation.