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Systematic Exploration of WO3/TiO2 Heterojunction Phase Space for Applications in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
- Source :
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 126:871-884
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- American Chemical Society (ACS), 2022.
-
Abstract
- Recent work has shown that heterojunction photoelectrodes can achieve synergistically higher water splitting activity than their parent materials. To optimize the performance in such layered systems, it is necessary to develop new methods capable of assessing heterojunction phase space. Herein, we explore WO3/TiO2 heterojunction phase space as a model system. Using chemical vapor deposition, 71 unique photoanodes were grown (15 single-layer; 56 heterojunctions). The materials were physically characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, and ultraviolet–visible transmission spectroscopy. Various key performance indicators were measured. Within this WO3/TiO2 heterojunction phase space, the onset potentials ranged from ∼0.45 to ∼0.81 VRHE; the incident-photon-to-current efficiencies at 350, 375, and 400 nm ranged from ∼0.6 to ∼50.9, ∼0.1 to ∼30.0, and ∼0 to ∼15.6%, respectively; and the theoretical solar photocurrents ranged from ∼0.01 to ∼0.94 mA cm–2. Contour plots allowed us to identify regions of heterojunction phase space with high activity and establish trends. We identified an electronic barrier to charge transfer between the heterojunction layers that required a sufficiently high applied potential (≥1.0 VRHE) to be surpassed for synergetic improvements in activity to be observed. We recommend that the methods developed herein, for assessing the performance of sample libraries of heterojunction photoelectrodes, be used alongside combinatorial synthesis methods and high-throughput photoelectrochemical measurements to optimize promising heterojunction systems more rigorously and rapidly.
- Subjects :
- Technology
Materials Science
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
CATALYSTS
FILMS
Physical Chemistry
NANOTUBE ARRAYS
09 Engineering
10 Technology
WO3
PHOTOLYSIS
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
TIO2 NANOTUBES
KINETICS
Science & Technology
STABILITY
Chemistry, Physical
PHOTOANODES
PERFORMANCE
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Chemistry
General Energy
Physical Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
03 Chemical Sciences
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19327455 and 19327447
- Volume :
- 126
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3b847e7e37616917961ccf8c5bf896e3