Insights into Improving Photoelectrochemical Water?Splitting Performance Using Hematite Anode

Insights into the enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of hydrothermally controlled hematite nanostructures for proficient solar water oxidation.

In this paper, we focus on the controlled growth mechanism of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures via the hydrothermal method. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results reveal that at a lower hydrothermal time, the initial nucleation involves the formation of short and thin β-FeOOH nanorods. The subsequent increase in the hydrothermal time leads β-FeOOH to form thicker and longer nanor...

Kinetics of Photoelectrochemical Oxidation of Methanol on Hematite Photoanodes

The kinetics of photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation of methanol, as a model organic substrate, on α-Fe2O3 photoanodes are studied using photoinduced absorption spectroscopy and transient photocurrent measurements. Methanol is oxidized on α-Fe2O3 to formaldehyde with near unity Faradaic efficiency. A rate law analysis under quasi-steady-state conditions of PEC methanol oxidation indicates that ...

Electrocatalyst decorated hematite nanowire arrays for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Physical and photoelectrochemical properties of Zr-doped hematite nanorod arrays.

This work examines the effect of Zr(4+) ions on the physical and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanorod arrays grown in an aqueous solution containing zirconyl nitrate (ZrO(NO3)2) as a dopant precursor. The concentration of ZrO(NO3)2 in the precursor solution influenced both the film thickness and the Zr(4+) concentration in the resulting films. Zr doping was found ...

Interface engineering by piezoelectric potential in ZnO-based photoelectrochemical anode.

Through a process of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, we demonstrated an effective strategy for engineering the barrier height of a heterogeneous semiconductor interface by piezoelectric polarization, known as the piezotronic effect. A consistent enhancement or reduction of photocurrent was observed when tensile or compressive strains were applied to the ZnO anode, respectively. The ...