Synthesis and characterization of potential CeNiO3 perovskite for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers a sustainable pathway for hydrogen production; however, its practical implementation is often limited by the poor efficiency and stability of photoelectrodes. In this work, porous cerium nickel oxide (CeNiO₃) was synthesized via a simple citrate sol–gel method coupled with a hydrothermal approach and employed as a photoanode for PEC water splitting. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the material were comprehensively investigated using XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy, FESEM, EDX, XPS, PL, and FTIR analyses. The optimized CeNiO₃ photoelectrode demonstrated an excellent photocurrent density of 15.14 mA cm⁻² at 1.4 V vs. RHE. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed enhanced charge transfer kinetics and suppressed recombination of photoexcited charge carriers. The superior PEC activity of CeNiO₃ is attributed to its bimetallic interactions, strong solar light absorption, efficient charge separation, and rapid charge transport. These results highlight the potential of CeNiO₃ as a stable and efficient photoelectrode for solar-driven hydrogen generation.