Issue 17, 2021

α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS ternary heterojunction photoanode for efficient solar water oxidation

Abstract

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performance of α-Fe2O3 photoanodes is jointly restricted by their high charge recombination and sluggish water oxidation kinetics. Herein, through coupling Ag and CdS nanoparticles with an α-Fe2O3 nanorod film, a new kind of α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS ternary heterojunction film was constructed and investigated as a photoanode for solar water oxidation. The resultant α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS photoanode can take full advantages of the α-Fe2O3/CdS heterojunction and the properties of Ag nanoparticles. Specifically, the formation of the α-Fe2O3/CdS heterojunction improves the charge separation and transfer efficiency of the α-Fe2O3 photoanode through band potential differences. Meanwhile, the presence of Ag nanoparticles enlarges the absorption edge of α-Fe2O3/CdS and decreases the electron–hole recombination through their surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. In addition, the electrocatalytic properties of Ag nanoparticles could initiate the water oxidation on the α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS photoanode jointly. As a result, a higher photocurrent density of 3.25 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE was achieved on the α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS photoanode during water oxidation, which is 2.5 times higher relative to the photocurrent of the α-Fe2O3 photoanode. Furthermore, the onset potential of water oxidation on the α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS photoanode was negatively shifted about 220 mV relative to the α-Fe2O3 photoanode due to its faster kinetics. With the protection of the amorphous TiO2 layer, the water oxidation activity of the α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS photoanode can be steadily maintained even after 10 h of reaction at 1.23 V vs. RHE. The present work provides an efficient strategy for the development of α-Fe2O3-based ternary heterojunction photoanodes for solar water oxidation.

Graphical abstract: α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS ternary heterojunction photoanode for efficient solar water oxidation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 5 2021
Accepted
06 7 2021
First published
14 7 2021

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2021,11, 5859-5867

α-Fe2O3/Ag/CdS ternary heterojunction photoanode for efficient solar water oxidation

Y. Wei, H. He, C. Liu, L. Yang, X. Wang, A. Li, Y. Xiong, Q. Shen, Y. Zhou and Z. Zou, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2021, 11, 5859 DOI: 10.1039/D1CY00896J

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