Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting
Abstract Introduction of the photothermal effect into transition‐metal oxide photoanodes has been proven to be an effective method to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water‐splitting performance. However, the precise role of the photothermal effect on the PEC performance of photoanodes is stil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Carbon Energy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cey2.369 |
| _version_ | 1797672621587824640 |
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| author | Xiaoqin Hu Jing Huang Yu Cao Bing He Xun Cui Yunhai Zhu Yang Wang Yihuang Chen Yingkui Yang Zhen Li Xueqin Liu |
| author_facet | Xiaoqin Hu Jing Huang Yu Cao Bing He Xun Cui Yunhai Zhu Yang Wang Yihuang Chen Yingkui Yang Zhen Li Xueqin Liu |
| author_sort | Xiaoqin Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction of the photothermal effect into transition‐metal oxide photoanodes has been proven to be an effective method to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water‐splitting performance. However, the precise role of the photothermal effect on the PEC performance of photoanodes is still not well understood. Herein, spinel‐structured ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles are deposited on the surface of hematite (Fe2O3), and the ZnFe2O4/Fe2O3 photoanode achieves a high photocurrent density of 3.17 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE) due to the photothermal effect of ZnFe2O4. Considering that the hopping of electron small polarons induced by oxygen vacancies is thermally activated, we clarify that the main reason for the enhanced PEC performance via the photothermal effect is the promoted mobility of electron small polarons that are bound to positively charged oxygen vacancies. Under the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and the photothermal effect, the electron conductivity and PEC performance are significantly improved, which provide fundamental insights into the impact of the photothermal effect on the PEC performance of small polaron‐type semiconductor photoanodes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:32:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-660d0a14fbb94d0c9fd83fefc2b3c1d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2637-9368 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:32:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Carbon Energy |
| spelling | doaj.art-660d0a14fbb94d0c9fd83fefc2b3c1d42023-09-27T07:59:25ZengWileyCarbon Energy2637-93682023-09-0159n/an/a10.1002/cey2.369Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splittingXiaoqin Hu0Jing Huang1Yu Cao2Bing He3Xun Cui4Yunhai Zhu5Yang Wang6Yihuang Chen7Yingkui Yang8Zhen Li9Xueqin Liu10State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry China University of Geosciences Wuhan Hubei ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry China University of Geosciences Wuhan Hubei ChinaCollege of Chemistry and Materials Engineering Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Chemistry China University of Geosciences Wuhan Hubei ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies Wuhan Textile University Wuhan Hubei ChinaAbstract Introduction of the photothermal effect into transition‐metal oxide photoanodes has been proven to be an effective method to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water‐splitting performance. However, the precise role of the photothermal effect on the PEC performance of photoanodes is still not well understood. Herein, spinel‐structured ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles are deposited on the surface of hematite (Fe2O3), and the ZnFe2O4/Fe2O3 photoanode achieves a high photocurrent density of 3.17 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE) due to the photothermal effect of ZnFe2O4. Considering that the hopping of electron small polarons induced by oxygen vacancies is thermally activated, we clarify that the main reason for the enhanced PEC performance via the photothermal effect is the promoted mobility of electron small polarons that are bound to positively charged oxygen vacancies. Under the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and the photothermal effect, the electron conductivity and PEC performance are significantly improved, which provide fundamental insights into the impact of the photothermal effect on the PEC performance of small polaron‐type semiconductor photoanodes.https://doi.org/10.1002/cey2.369Fe2O3 nanorodsoxygen vacanciesphotoelectrochemical performancephotothermal effectsmall polaron transport |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoqin Hu Jing Huang Yu Cao Bing He Xun Cui Yunhai Zhu Yang Wang Yihuang Chen Yingkui Yang Zhen Li Xueqin Liu Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting Carbon Energy Fe2O3 nanorods oxygen vacancies photoelectrochemical performance photothermal effect small polaron transport |
| title | Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| title_full | Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| title_fullStr | Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| title_short | Photothermal‐boosted polaron transport in Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| title_sort | photothermal boosted polaron transport in fe2o3 photoanodes for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting |
| topic | Fe2O3 nanorods oxygen vacancies photoelectrochemical performance photothermal effect small polaron transport |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cey2.369 |
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