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Structural and electronic properties of screen-printed Fe2O3/TiO2 thick films and their photoelectrochemical behavior

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Abstract

Nanostructured Fe2TiO5 thick films were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate using screen printing technology. Starting hematite and anatase nanopowders were mixed in molar ratios 1:1 and 1:1.5 and calcined in air at 900°C for 2 h to form pseudobrookite, Fe2TiO5. Functional powders and sintered thick films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. UV–Vis analysis enabled determination of the band gap. Separation and transfer efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers was confirmed by the photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectra. Even though a slightly high onset oxygen evolution potential of photoexcited film electrode samples in NaOH was obtained, photocurrent densities were high, especially in the presence of H2O2 (~12 mA cm−2 at 1.7 V RHE). This work shows promise for practical application due to favorable band positions of pseudobrookite and low-cost screen printing technology.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr. M. Mitrić for XRD measurements and Dr. Vladimir B. Pavlović for TEM measurements. This work was performed as part of projects III45007 and III45014 financed by the Ministry for Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1, Belgrade, 11030, Serbia

    Obrad S. Aleksić, Miloljub D. Luković & Maria V. Nikolić

  2. Institute of Technical Sciences of SASA, Knez Mihailova 35, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Zorka Ž. Vasiljević & Nebojša Labus

  3. Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, Belgrade, 11158, Serbia

    Milica Vujković

  4. Photonics Center, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica 118, Belgrade, 11080, Serbia

    Marko Nikolić

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  1. Obrad S. Aleksić
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Correspondence to Zorka Ž. Vasiljević.

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Aleksić, O.S., Vasiljević, Z.Ž., Vujković, M. et al. Structural and electronic properties of screen-printed Fe2O3/TiO2 thick films and their photoelectrochemical behavior. J Mater Sci 52, 5938–5953 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-0830-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-0830-2

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