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Enhanced visible-light photoelectrochemical activity of TiO2 nanorod arrays decorated by Sb2S3 particles

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Abstract

Single-crystal TiO2 nanorod arrays (NRAs) were synthesized successfully onto transparent conducting substrates through a facile hydrothermal route for photo-electrochemical (PEC) water-splitting. Further, the ordered TiO2 NRAs were treated by SbCl3 solution for preparing a layer of Sb2S3 and enhancing their PEC activity. A series of methods were employed to compare and analyze the differences between the TiO2 NRA samples with/without Sb2S3 decoration. It was demonstrated that the PEC performance were enhanced significantly after being treated with SbCl3 aqueous solution (precursor) under a hydrothermal environment. Compared to pure TiO2 NRAs, the sample that decorated with Sb2S3 showed a more positive flat-band level as well as a higher donor density (i.e. electron density). Thus, it suggested that the enhanced PEC performance after Sb2S3 modification might be attributed to the widening of spectral response as well as the improvement of charge transfer / transport occurring at the solid/liquid interfaces.

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2015XKZD01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China

    Rong He, Xiuquan Gu, Yulong Zhao & Yinghuai Qiang

Authors
  1. Rong He
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  2. Xiuquan Gu
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  3. Yulong Zhao
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  4. Yinghuai Qiang
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Correspondence to Xiuquan Gu.

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He, R., Gu, X., Zhao, Y. et al. Enhanced visible-light photoelectrochemical activity of TiO2 nanorod arrays decorated by Sb2S3 particles. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 5293–5298 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-8494-x

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