Surface tuning for promoted charge transfer in hematite nanorod arrays as water-splitting photoanodes

Shaohua Shen, Coleman X. Kronawitter, Jiangang Jiang, Samuel S. Mao, Liejin Guo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanorod films with their surface tuned by W6+ doping have been investigated as oxygen-evolving photoanodes in photoelectrochemical cells. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements have been performed on the undoped and W6+-doped α-Fe2O3 nanorod films. W6+ doping is found to primarily affect the photoluminescence properties of α-Fe2O3 nanorod films. Comparisons are drawn between undoped and W6+-doped α-Fe2O3 nanorod films, WO3 films, and α-Fe2O3-modified WO3 composite electrodes. A close correlation between dopant concentration, photoluminescence intensity, and anodic photocurrent was observed. It is suggested that W6+ surface doping promotes charge transfer in α-Fe2O3 nanorods, giving rise to the enhanced PEC performance. These results suggest surface tuning via ion doping should represent a viable strategy to further improve the efficiency of α-Fe2O3 photoanodes.

Original languageBritish English
Pages (from-to)327-336
Number of pages10
JournalNano Research
Volume5
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2012

Keywords

  • hematite
  • nanorods
  • photoanodes
  • Surface tuning

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