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Enhanced visible light photoelectrochemical performance of β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO thin films prepared by aqueous sol-gel

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Abstract

Semiconductor heterojunction of β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO thin films was prepared by aqueous sol-gel and their photoelectrochemical and photoelectrocatalytic properties were evaluated on the oxidation of salicylic acid. The β-Bi2O3 sol precursor properties were characterized by DLS, SEM, and X-ray diffraction. The composition and morphology of the films were characterized by SEM-EDS. The photoelectrochemical characterization was performed by linear sweep voltammetry with chopped light irradiation and photocurrent measurements. The photoelectrocatalytic activity of the films under UV-Vis and visible light irradiation was conducted on the oxidation of salicylic acid. Results show that the films are composed of a TiO2 layer with Bi2O3 particles dispersed throughout the surface. X-ray diffraction results confirm that the Bi2O3 obtained from the sol precursor prepared corresponds to β-tetragonal phase. The linear sweep voltammetry shows that the β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO films have a higher photocurrent in the anodic region than TiO2/ITO films used as reference. The photoelectrocatalytic activity of the β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO films on the oxidation of salicylic acid under visible light irradiation was higher than TiO2/ITO films. The results show that the β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO films are active under visible light and can be used in photoelectrochemical cells.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thanks Maria Claudia Marchi (INQUIMAE, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires) by SEM analyses. J.L. Ropero-Vega thanks Colciencias for the doctoral scholarship in the frame of the program “Convocatoria nacional para estudios a nivel de doctorado en Colombia – año 2009”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones en Catálisis-CICAT, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Sede Guatiguará, Calle 8N No. 3W-60 El Refugio, Piedecuesta, C.P. 681011, Santander, Colombia

    J. L. Ropero-Vega & M. E. Niño-Gómez

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agropecuarias, Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas para la Sostenibilidad–CIBAS, Universidad de Santander, Calle 70 No. 55-210, C.P. 680003, Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia

    J. L. Ropero-Vega

  3. Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía – INQUIMAE, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón 2, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Roberto J. Candal & Sara A. Bilmes

  4. Grupo de Investigaciones en Minerales, Biohidrometalurgia y Ambiente-GIMBA, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Sede Guatiguará, Calle 8N No. 3W-60 El Refugio, Piedecuesta, C.P. 681011, Santander, Colombia

    J. A. Pedraza-Avella

  5. Centro de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica en Materiales y Nanociencia-CMN, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Sede Guatiguará, Calle 8N No. 3W-60 El Refugio, Piedecuesta, C.P. 681011, Santander, Colombia

    J. A. Pedraza-Avella & M. E. Niño-Gómez

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  1. J. L. Ropero-Vega
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  2. Roberto J. Candal
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  3. J. A. Pedraza-Avella
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  4. M. E. Niño-Gómez
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Correspondence to J. L. Ropero-Vega or J. A. Pedraza-Avella.

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Ropero-Vega, J.L., Candal, R.J., Pedraza-Avella, J.A. et al. Enhanced visible light photoelectrochemical performance of β-Bi2O3-TiO2/ITO thin films prepared by aqueous sol-gel. J Solid State Electrochem 23, 1757–1765 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-019-04270-0

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