Boosting the Solar Water Oxidation Performance of Fe₂O₃ Photoanode via Embedding Laser‐Generated Pt Nanocrystals

Abstract

α‐Fe2O3 with suitable band structure, good chemical stability, and easy preparation, is a potential photoanode material. However, the key to enhance the performance of α‐Fe2O3 photoanode is to improve the transport characteristics of bulk carriers. It is expected to form a Schottky barrier to improve the carrier separation efficiency by embedding metal nanoparticles into the matrix, but the process is still challenging. Herein, a strategy of forming the Schottky barrier is shown to improve bulk carrier transport dynamics by embedding laser‐generated Pt nanocrystals in α‐Fe2O3 photoanode, which achieves photocurrent densities of up to 1.16 mA cm−2 at 1.23 VRHE (from original 0.21 mA cm−2). This work provides another way to promote the carrier transfer and separation of α‐Fe2O3, which is of great significance to improve the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.