Strategic Surface Modification for the Enhanced Photocatalyic Activity: Synergistic Promotion for Energy Utilization in
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Strategic Surface Modification for the Enhanced Photocatalyic Activity: Synergistic Promotion for Energy Utilization in TiO2–Cu2O–Au Yuanyuan Wang1 · Qingcui Ma1 · Menglei Zhu1 · Bin Liu1 · Yalan Wang2 · Hui Yuan1 · Xina Wang1 · Xiaoniu Peng1 Received: 12 August 2020 / Accepted: 13 October 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract A ternary nanocomposite structure of TiO2–Cu2O–Au was successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method to explore the light trapping mechanism of Au nanoparticles in photoelectrochemical water splitting. The photocurrent curve of TiO2– Cu2O–Au quickly arrived at saturation and increased to 1044 μA/cm2 at 1.23 V (vs RHE), which was 10.4 times higher than iO2–Cu2O heterojunction, in which Au the TiO2 only. This attributed to the positive synergistic effect of Au plasmon and T act as a light absorber extended the optical path while Cu2O promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in semiconductors. These intriguing results expanded the comprehensive understanding of the plasmon-assisted photocatalyic reactions and gave a better manipulation in the design of efficient artificial photosynthesis systems. Graphic Abstract TiO2–Cu2O–Au nanorod arrays were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. TiO2–Cu2O–Au nanorod arrays photoanode were strategically designed to improve photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance by Au plasmon loading and building TiO2–Cu2O heterojunction. The Au in TiO2–Cu2O–Au nanorod array act as a light absorber extended the optical path, and the Cu2O promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. On the merits of such a synergistic effect, TiO2–Cu2O–Au nanorod array shows higher light-harvesting ability, lower carrier recombination rate, and resultant improved PEC performance than the contrast of TiO2, TiO2–Cu2O and TiO2–Au.
Keywords Surface modification · Photoelectrochemical water splitting · Energy utilization efficiency · TiO2 nanorod arrays * Yalan Wang [email protected] * Xiaoniu Peng [email protected] Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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1 Introduction Photoelectrochemical water splitting is one of the most promising ways to store solar energy into useful energy fuels [1–9]. Numerous semiconductors, such as T iO 2, BiVO4, Cu2O and ZnO have been widely unlocked as the photoanodes for solar water splitting due to their appropriate band structures [10–14]. However, the photoelectrochemical water splitting efficiency was still severely restricted by their lower light utilizing efficiency and high recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs [15–21]. Cu2O is considered as a good photosensitizer candidate attribute to its narrow band gap (2.17 eV), abundant source and cheap prices. In general, Cu2O has good performance in the absorption of visible light [22], and can be used to construct heterojunction structures with wider band gap semiconductors, to promote the effective separation and ut
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