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Design of multi-layered TiO2-Fe2O3 photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting: patterning effects on photocurrent density

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Abstract

We report the effect of patterning on photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance. Oxide-oxide heterostructures based on horizontal and vertical heterojunctions were fabricated on transparent conductive oxide glass by sequential plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of individual metal oxide. Featured masks were employed to enable three-dimensional patternings of stripes and cross-bars structures formed by Fe2O3 and TiO2 layers. PEC measurement was carried out by a three-electrode cell. It was found that double layered TiO2//Fe2O3:FTO showed a decrease in PEC performance when compared with single Fe2O3:FTO layer, whereas triple-layered Fe2O3//TiO2//Fe2O3:FTO (both patterned and unpatterned samples) displayed enhanced photocurrent density. The results show that the existence of multiple phase boundaries does not always add up to PEC enhancement observed in single heterojunction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 6, 50939, Cologne, Germany

    Myeongwhun Pyeon

  2. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 6, 50939, Cologne, Germany

    Meng Wang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, International Research Center for Renewable Energy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, 710049, China

    Meng Wang

  4. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 6, 50939, Cologne, Germany

    Yakup Gönüllü & Ali Kaouk

  5. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109, Berlin, Germany

    Sara Jäckie & Silke Christiansen

  6. Max-Planck-lnstitute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Str. 1, 91058, Erlangen, Germany

    Sara Jäckie & Silke Christiansen

  7. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), 320 Techno sunhwan-ro, Yuga-myeon, Dalseong-gun, 711-880, Daegu, Korea

    Taejin Hwang

  8. Heat Treatment R&D Group (Siheung Ppuri Technological Supporting Center), Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), 113-5 Seohaean-ro, Siheung-si, 429-450, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

    Kyoungll Moon

  9. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 6, 50939, Cologne, Germany

    Sanjay Mathur

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  1. Myeongwhun Pyeon
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Correspondence to Sanjay Mathur.

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43579_2016_6040442_MOESM3_ESM.doc

Patterning effects of photoanodes fabricated by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on photoelectrochemical water splitting performance: Design of multi-layered photoanodes

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Pyeon, M., Wang, M., Gönüllü, Y. et al. Design of multi-layered TiO2-Fe2O3 photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting: patterning effects on photocurrent density. MRS Communications 6, 442–448 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2016.54

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