Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications
Designing photocathodes with nanostructures has been considered a promising way to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting activity. Cu<sub>2</sub>Te is one of the promising semiconducting materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting, the performance of Cu<sub>...
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/18/3192 |
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| author | Dong Jin Lee G. Mohan Kumar V. Ganesh Hee Chang Jeon Deuk Young Kim Tae Won Kang P. Ilanchezhiyan |
| author_facet | Dong Jin Lee G. Mohan Kumar V. Ganesh Hee Chang Jeon Deuk Young Kim Tae Won Kang P. Ilanchezhiyan |
| author_sort | Dong Jin Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Designing photocathodes with nanostructures has been considered a promising way to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting activity. Cu<sub>2</sub>Te is one of the promising semiconducting materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting, the performance of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te photocathodes remains poor. In this work, we report the preparation of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te nanorods (NRs) and vertical nanosheets (NSs) assembled film on Cu foil through a vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) technique. The obtained nano architectures as photocathodes toward photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance was tested afterwards for the first time. Optimized Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes showed significant photocurrent density up to 0.53 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> and excellent stability under illumination. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis were used to analyze in more detail the performance of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes. From these analyses, we propose that Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes are potential candidate materials for use in solar water splitting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:57:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-069f1ba89acc46d1864c015d4d50872b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:57:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-069f1ba89acc46d1864c015d4d50872b2023-11-23T18:07:03ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912022-09-011218319210.3390/nano12183192Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting ApplicationsDong Jin Lee0G. Mohan Kumar1V. Ganesh2Hee Chang Jeon3Deuk Young Kim4Tae Won Kang5P. Ilanchezhiyan6Quantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaQuantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaDepartment of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai 603203, IndiaQuantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaQuantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaQuantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaQuantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center (QSRC), Institute of Future Technology, Dongguk University, Seoul 04623, KoreaDesigning photocathodes with nanostructures has been considered a promising way to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting activity. Cu<sub>2</sub>Te is one of the promising semiconducting materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting, the performance of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te photocathodes remains poor. In this work, we report the preparation of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te nanorods (NRs) and vertical nanosheets (NSs) assembled film on Cu foil through a vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) technique. The obtained nano architectures as photocathodes toward photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance was tested afterwards for the first time. Optimized Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes showed significant photocurrent density up to 0.53 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> and excellent stability under illumination. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis were used to analyze in more detail the performance of Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes. From these analyses, we propose that Cu<sub>2</sub>Te NRs and NSs photocathodes are potential candidate materials for use in solar water splitting.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/18/3192copper telluridenanorodsnanosheetsphotocathodesPEC water splitting |
| spellingShingle | Dong Jin Lee G. Mohan Kumar V. Ganesh Hee Chang Jeon Deuk Young Kim Tae Won Kang P. Ilanchezhiyan Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications Nanomaterials copper telluride nanorods nanosheets photocathodes PEC water splitting |
| title | Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications |
| title_full | Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications |
| title_fullStr | Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications |
| title_short | Novel Nanoarchitectured Cu<sub>2</sub>Te as a Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Applications |
| title_sort | novel nanoarchitectured cu sub 2 sub te as a photocathodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting applications |
| topic | copper telluride nanorods nanosheets photocathodes PEC water splitting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/18/3192 |
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