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Fabrication of NiO quantum dot-modified ZnO nanorod arrays for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

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Abstract

NiO quantum dot (QD)-modified ZnO nanorod arrays with enhanced photoelectrochemical activity under simulated sunlight were prepared via hydrothermal and drop-drying methods. The results show an obviously decreases in the PL emission intensity and UV-to-Visible emission ratio in NiO QD-modified ZnO, indicating that the recombination of the photogenerated charge carrier is greatly inhibited in the heterojunction. Photocurrent density of the QD-modified nanorod photoanode reaches four times higher than its dark current density; the difference between the photo and dark current densities of QD-modified nanorod electrode is nearly two times higher than that of nanorod electrode. NiO QD-modified ZnO nanorods exhibit excellent photoelectrocatalytic activity owing to their large specific surface area and high separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. This study provides a promising strategy for fabricating highly efficient photoanodes for water splitting by configuring a QD-composed p–n junction.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51302128), the Natural Science Foundation of Henan province (Grant Nos. 132300410085, 14B140009, 15A140027), and the Program for High Talent Research Start-Up funding of Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Physics, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, 471023, Luoyang, People’s Republic of China

    Xiuyun An & Yongsheng Zhang

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  1. Xiuyun An
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  2. Yongsheng Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiuyun An or Yongsheng Zhang.

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An, X., Zhang, Y. Fabrication of NiO quantum dot-modified ZnO nanorod arrays for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting. Appl. Phys. A 123, 647 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1237-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1237-2

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