Issue 5, 2020

Cooperative effects of surface and interface treatments in a hematite (α-Fe2O3) photo-anode on its photo-electrochemical performance

Abstract

To enhance the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction of hematite (α-Fe2O3), we engineered both the surface of the hematite nanorods and the FTO/hematite interface simultaneously with an optimal annealing condition. We demonstrated that the enhancement of the photo-electrochemical performance of the hematite film treated by both methods was not just the summation of the improvements originating from each treatment but showed a significant cooperative effect. We clearly revealed that the strong electric field was effectively induced by the surface P doping with the concentration gradient profile, resulting in band bending even at 0 V vs. RHE. Furthermore, the dead layer was removed by the TiO2 underlayer, giving rise to Fermi level unpinning. We confirmed that the introduction of the TiO2 underlayer unpinning Fermi level enables building on the strength of the intrinsic long-lived holes generated by P doping, which is the origin of the cooperative effect.

Graphical abstract: Cooperative effects of surface and interface treatments in a hematite (α-Fe2O3) photo-anode on its photo-electrochemical performance

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 nov. 2019
Accepted
05 janv. 2020
First published
06 janv. 2020

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2020,4, 2174-2183

Author version available

Cooperative effects of surface and interface treatments in a hematite (α-Fe2O3) photo-anode on its photo-electrochemical performance

M. Inaba, K. Katayama and W. Y. Sohn, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2020, 4, 2174 DOI: 10.1039/C9SE01081E

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