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Nanostructural characterization of mesoporous hematite thin film photoanode used for water splitting

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Abstract

By combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy with analytical capability, we investigated the nanostructure of a textured hematite photoanode with columnar grains obtained by the colloidal deposition of magnetite nanocrystals. This initial report describes in detail the structure and chemistry of the α-Fe2O3/SnO2:F interface by identifying semicoherent and incoherent interfaces as well as a localized interdiffusion layer of Sn and Fe at the interface (∼100 nm in length). Our study indicates that unintentional doping by tin at a high sintering temperature is not significant in enhancing hematite photoanode performance for water oxidation. The correlation of nanoscale morphology with photoelectrochemical characterization facilitated the identification of the beneficial effect of a preferential growth direction of a hematite film along the [110] axis for water-splitting efficiency.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support of FAPESP (projects 98/14324-0), FINEP, CNPq (INCT program), and CAPES (all Brazilian agencies) is gratefully acknowledged. We acknowledge Dr. David M. Donnet, Fernando Mendoza, and Nanoport-FEI Company for FIB sample preparation.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Sao Carlos, 13565-905, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Ricardo H. Goncalves & Edson R. Leite

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  1. Ricardo H. Goncalves
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  2. Edson R. Leite
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Correspondence to Edson R. Leite.

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Goncalves, R.H., Leite, E.R. Nanostructural characterization of mesoporous hematite thin film photoanode used for water splitting. Journal of Materials Research 29, 47–54 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2013.249

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