Fe 2TiO 5/ Fe 2O3/ Pt photoanode synthesis schematic and photoelectrocatalytic decomposition of water performance
Solar photocatalytic decomposition of water to hydrogen is to solve the current energy shortage and environmental pollution is one of the ideal way. Iron oxide (α-Fe 2O3) Has the advantages of high stability, low energy band structure (2.1eV) and abundant natural reserves, and has become an important material in the field of photoelectrocatalytic decomposition of water to hydrogen. However, iron oxide has poor conductivity, photogenerated electron- Hole composite faster defects, severely limited its practical application.
Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanomaterials Energy and Environmental Catalysis Materials Group and the German Erlangen - University of Nuremberg, Professor Patrik Schmuki cooperation research in the ultra-thin α-Fe 2O3Materials Photoelectrocatalytic decomposition of water and its photo-induced charge separation research has made new progress.
Researchers in the conductive substrate thickness of the controllable growth of Pt nano-metal layer, and the deposition of ultra-thin α-Fe 2O3Nano-layer in the α-Fe 2O3/ Pt on the basis of further synthesis in situ Fe 2TiO 5Layer to form Fe 2TiO 5/ α-Fe 2O3/ Pt 'sandwich' heterostructured photoanode In this structure, the metal Pt nanosheets can effectively enhance the α-Fe 2O3Light absorption performance; due to its lower Fermi level, effectively promote the photo-generated carrier separation and rapid photoelectron migration.In addition, Fe 2TiO 5With α-Fe 2O3With a matching band structure, α-Fe 2O3Nano-layer generated by the photo-generated holes to Fe 2TiO 5The rapid migration of layers further reduces the recombination rate of carriers and promotes the water oxidation reaction.
Under simulated sunlight (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm -2), 'Sandwich' heterostructures Fe2TiO5 / α-Fe 2O3/ Pt photoanode showed excellent photoelectrocatalytic decomposition of water activity and stability, the photocurrent density and pure phase αFe 2O3Compared with 1.5 times higher than the original design of the heterostructure photoanode can effectively improve the optical absorption properties of semiconductor materials and can promote the rapid separation and migration of photoexcited charge for the construction of high efficiency solar photovoltaic decomposition of water system is instructive.
Relevant findings have been published in Advanced Functional Materials and Journal of Materials Chemistry A. The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Technology, and the State Key Laboratory of Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation.
