Open AccessPhysicochemical and Electrocatalytic Performance of Chromium doped Iron Pyrite Thin Films
Author(s) -
P. Prabukanthan,
M. Sreedhar,
G. Harichandran,
T. Tatarchuk,
K. Dinakaran,
S. Uthayakumar,
A. Younis
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
fìzika ì hìmìâ tverdogo tìla
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2309-8589
pISSN - 1729-4428
DOI - 10.15330/pcss.23.1.134-143
Subject(s) - thin film , materials science , doping , crystallinity , dielectric spectroscopy , chemical engineering , chromium , pyrite , substrate (aquarium) , grain size , electrochemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , metallurgy , composite material , electrode , chemistry , optoelectronics , oceanography , geology , engineering , chromatography
Chromium (Cr3+) doped iron pyrite (FeS2) thin films were deposited on ITO substrate by a facile electrochemical deposition process. The effect of chromium content on structural, optical, electrical, morphological, and electrocatalytic behavior of the pyrite thin films were examined. X - ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation of cubic crystal structure of deposited thin films. Atomic force microscopy results indicate that Cr3+ doping has strong influence on crystallinity, surface roughness and grain size of as-deposited thin films. Further, bandgap reduction was found in Cr3+ doped FeS2 thin films. The interfacial charge resistance of fabricated thin films was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and 3 mole % Cr3+ doped FeS2 thin films showed excellent conductivity with a low charge transfer resistance of 49 Ω. Further, the electrocatalytic performance of the prepared pyrite thin films was investigated. Cr doped thin films were found to exhibit better performance. Anti-structural modeling was opted to investigate the characteristics of defects in fabricated thin films and it was established that Cr3+substitutionmay form cation (Fe2+) vacancies which could be responsible for enhanced photochemical and electrochemical activities in Cr-doped FeS2 thin films.