Tungsten oxide semiconductors are used to photooxidize water. Students prepare WO 3 , CuWO 4 , and mixed composition thin film photoanodes. The syntheses are simple, allowing for the quick production of a range of materials. Photoanodes are tested in a photoelectrochemical cell assembled from common equipment, allowing for the direct comparison of photoanode performance. Composite photoanodes perform best, leading to a discussion of what limits overall performance in these materials. Additional instrumental methods such as SEM, EDS, XRD, and diffuse reflectance UV−vis spectrophotometry, if available, can be incorporated readily into the experiment, providing additional insights into material properties. Students are introduced to solid-state chemistry, semiconductors, and the photooxidation of water in the context of the hydrogen economy.
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