Exploiting the Bragg Mirror Effect of TiO2 Nanotube Photonic Crystals for Promoting Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Exploiting the Bragg mirror effect of photonic crystal photoelectrode is desperately desired for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Herein, a novel TiO2 nanotube photonic crystal bi-layer structure consisting of a top nanotube layer and a bottom nanotube photonic crystal layer is presented. In this architecture, the photonic bandgap of bottom TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals can be precisely adjusted by modulating the anodization parameters. When the photonic bandgap of bottom TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals overlaps with the electronic bandgap of TiO2, the bottom TiO2 nanotube photonic crystal layer will act as a Bragg mirror, leading to the boosted ultraviolet light absorption of the top TiO2 nanotube layer. Benefiting from the promoted UV light absorption, the TiO2 NT-115-NTPC yields a photocurrent density of 1.4 mA/cm2 at 0.22 V vs. Ag/AgCl with a Faradic efficiency of 100%, nearly two times higher than that of conventional TiO2 nanotube arrays. Furthermore, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency is also promoted within ultraviolet light region. This research offers an effective strategy for improving the performance of photoelectrochemical water splitting through intensifying the light–matter interaction.