Toward High-Performance Hematite Nanotube Photoanodes: Charge-Transfer Engineering at Heterointerfaces

Do Hong Kim, Dinsefa M. Andoshe, Young Seok Shim, Cheon Woo Moon, Woonbae Sohn, Seokhoon Choi, Taemin Ludvic Kim, Migyoung Lee, Hoonkee Park, Kootak Hong, Ki Chang Kwon, Jun Min Suh, Jin Sang Kim, Jong Heun Lee, Ho Won Jang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)23793-23800
Number of pages8
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume8
Issue number36
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 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)

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