Abstract
Vertically ordered hematite nanotubes are considered to be promising photoactive materials for high-performance water-splitting photoanodes. However, the synthesis of hematite nanotubes directly on conducting substrates such as fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/glass is difficult to be achieved because of the poor adhesion between hematite nanotubes and FTO/glass. Here, we report the synthesis of hematite nanotubes directly on FTO/glass substrate and high-performance photoelectrochemical properties of the nanotubes with NiFe cocatalysts. The hematite nanotubes are synthesized by a simple electrochemical anodization method. The adhesion of the hematite nanotubes to the FTO/glass substrate is drastically improved by dipping them in nonpolar cyclohexane prior to postannealing. Bare hematite nanotubes show a photocurrent density of 1.3 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs a reversible hydrogen electrode, while hematite nanotubes with electrodeposited NiFe cocatalysts exhibit 2.1 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V which is the highest photocurrent density reported for hematite nanotubes-based photoanodes for solar water splitting. Our work provides an efficient platform to obtain high-performance water-splitting photoanodes utilizing earth-abundant hematite and noble-metal-free cocatalysts.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 23793-23800 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 36 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2016 Sept 14 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016 American Chemical Society.
Keywords
- NiFe cocatalysts
- earth abundant
- hematite
- nanotube
- water-splitting photoanode
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)