Cobalt site coordinated polyterthiophene derivant/hematite hybrid photoanode for light-driven water oxidation

Abstract

The cobalt-coordinated polyterthiophene/hematite hybrid photoanode, denoted as Co@PTTh-N/α-Fe₂O₃, was fabricated to facilitate the photo-driven water oxidation reaction. The optimally aligned energy levels of the PTTh-N/α-Fe₂O₃ heterojunction promoted charge transfer and decreased charge recombination. The phenanthroline functional groups within PTTh-N coordinated with Co²⁺ ions that serve as effective catalytic centers for water oxidation, resulting in a significant enhancement of photocurrent.