Efficient and stable photoelctrochemical water oxidation by ZnO photoanode coupled with Eu2O3 as novel oxygen evolution catalyst

Xie, Shilei; Wei, Wenjie; Huang, Senchuan; Li, Mingyang; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.07.071

Cited by 27 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…It can be observed that the photocurrent of the nanostructured photoanode first increases with increasing thickness of the ZnO shell layer and then achieves a maximum value of 1.642 mA cm −2 for the In 2 S 3 /ZnO-50 NSAs. The optimal performance is comparable with those of ZnO-based nanostructured photoanodes [ 11 , 29 ]. However, further increasing the thickness of ZnO overlayer to 100 nm will result in relatively suppressed photocurrent.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…However, there is no single one material that can satisfy all the aforementioned requirements among more than about 130 types of semiconductor materials [ 6 ]. To address these challenges, nanostructured architectures have been explored because of their various advantages compared to bulk materials [ 8 – 11 ]. Alongside the recent population of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures, such as nanosheets, nanoplates, and nanoflakes, especially vertical nanoarray structures, are of special interest in artificial photosynthesis owing to their unique mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, as well as extremely large surface areas [ 12 – 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Highly Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrochemical Performance of ZnO-Modified In2S3 Nanosheet Arrays by Atomic Layer Deposition

Li¹,

Tu²,

Wang

et al. 2018

Nano-Micro Lett.

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Photoanodes based on In2S3/ZnO heterojunction nanosheet arrays (NSAs) have been fabricated by atomic layer deposition of ZnO over In2S3 NSAs, which were in situ grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide glasses via a facile solvothermal process. The as-prepared photoanodes show dramatically enhanced performance for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, compared to single semiconductor counterparts. The optical and PEC properties of In2S3/ZnO NSAs have been optimized by modulating the thickness of the ZnO overlayer. After pairing with ZnO, the NSAs exhibit a broadened absorption range and an increased light absorptance over a wide wavelength region of 250–850 nm. The optimized sample of In2S3/ZnO-50 NSAs shows a photocurrent density of 1.642 mA cm−2 (1.5 V vs. RHE) and an incident photon-to-current efficiency of 27.64% at 380 nm (1.23 V vs. RHE), which are 70 and 116 times higher than those of the pristine In2S3 NSAs, respectively. A detailed energy band edge analysis reveals the type-II band alignment of the In2S3/ZnO heterojunction, which enables efficient separation and collection of photogenerated carriers, especially with the assistance of positive bias potential, and then results in the significantly increased PEC activity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-018-0199-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrochemical Performance of ZnO-Modified In2S3 Nanosheet Arrays by Atomic Layer Deposition

Li¹,

Tu²,

Wang

et al. 2018

Nano-Micro Lett.

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“…Compared to other semiconductors, such as ZnO and Eu 2 O 3 /BiVO 4 , Eu 2 TeO 6 would seem to perform quite well, specifically in the OER region. For example, nanocoral-ZnO and N-doped ZnO nanowire photoelectrocatalysts displayed photocurrent density values lower than 0.3 mA cm −2 at 1.8 V versus RHE, 38 while Eu 2 O 3 /BiVO 4 photocatalyst displayed a photocurrent density of only 0.14 mA cm −2 at 1.8 V versus RHE, 39 which is comparatively less than the values of 0.80 mA cm −2 and 2.66 mA cm −2 recorded respectively at 0 and 1600 rpm for ETO-900 at 1.8 V versus RHE. An accurate and straight comparison of the synthesized samples to that reported in literature is quite difficult due to variations in (i) the illumination sources employed, and (ii) the catalyst supporting materials employed, i.e.…”

Section: ■ Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photocharging of Europium(III) Tellurium Oxide as a Photoelectrocatalyst

Kriek

Iqbal

Doyle

et al. 2019

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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This work reveals that Eu2TeO6, as a photoelectrocatalyst, exhibits a sustained photocharging effect that results in an enhanced and “sustained” dark current (subsequent to the termination of illumination), which is greater than the current obtained through applied electrical potential alone. Samples of europium tellurium oxide, prepared through the employment of a Pechini sol–gel route and calcined at 400 and 900 °C, were characterized for selective physicochemical properties and comparatively evaluated as an electrocatalyst, photoelectrocatalyst, and photocharged electrocatalyst by employing, as a suitable case study, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium. The sample calcined at 400 °C exhibited amorphous characteristics while the sample calcined at 900 °C proved to be Eu2TeO6. The evaluation was conducted in a modified electrochemical cell housing a lamp, with the material deposited onto a glassy carbon electrode support rather than on fluorine- or indium-doped tin oxide glass plates. With a band gap of 4.31 eV, Eu2TeO6 (calcined at 900 °C) exhibited improved OER activity upon continuous UV-light irradiation, with the unexpected result of sustained improved activity for up to 40 min subsequent to the termination of the UV irradiation. At 1.8 V (versus RHE, reversible hydrogen electrode), the photocurrent, after 150 min of irradiation, increased by 107% from 0.44 to 0.91 mA cm–2. Surprisingly, after 150 min of irradiation, the dark current was sustained at 0.86 mA cm–2 for 40 min (at which point measurement was terminated), which represents a sustained increase of 95% compared to the initial unirradiated sample. The phenomenon observed here could contribute toward an improved understanding of photocharging and ultimately to the exploitation of more efficient solar energy conversion and storage.

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“…Regarding Eu-doped ZnO, there is a large variety of structures reported, including thin films, rods/wires, sea urchins, cauliflower-like balls, and powders, achieved by a wide range of chemical and physical synthesis routes, including radio frequency sputtering, − pulsed laser deposition, ion implantion, , chemical vapor deposition, vapor transport deposition, ,− spray pyrolysis, , solid-state synthesis, ,, electrochemical synthesis, − combustion synthesis, − precipitation and hydro-/solvothermal synthesis, − hydrothermal microemulsion processing, sonochemically assisted precipitation, chemical solution deposition, − and metal–organic decomposition . A more detailed review of the results given in these references is provided in Review S1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast, Low-Cost Synthesis of ZnO:Eu Nanosponges and the Nature of Ln Doping in ZnO

et al. 2020

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A low-cost template-free solution chemical route to highly porous nanocrystalline sponges of ZnO-EuO 1.5 with 0−5 mol % Eu is presented. The process uses Zn− and Eu−acetate− nitrate and triethanolamine as precursors in methanol. After evaporation of the solvent and heating at 200 °C for 3 min, crystalline ZnO:Eu sponges with minor amounts of organic residues were obtained. Heating to 400 °C replaced the organics with carbonate, which in its turn was decomposed at temperatures below 600 °C, forming ZnO:Eu sponges. Samples heated to 200− 1000 °C for 3 min were studied with XRD, SEM, TEM, TG, XPS, and IR spectroscopy. The ZnO:Eu crystallite sizes could be tuned from below 10 nm for sponges prepared at 200−500 °C, to over 100 nm range at 900 °C, without sintering of the overall microstructure. XRD showed the presence of hexagonal ZnO:Eu (or at 700−1000 °C, ZnO:Eu and cubic Eu 2 O 3 ) as the only phases present. The ZnO:Eu had slightly larger unit cell dimensions than the literature value of ZnO for samples obtained at 200−600 °C, while the unit cells of samples obtained at higher temperatures were quite close to the value of undoped ZnO. XPS showed that Eu was mainly in its 3+ state and well-distributed within the sponges but segregated at the ZnO sponge surface upon heating at 700− 1000 °C, in accordance with XRD studies showing Eu 2 O 3 formation.

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Efficient and stable photoelctrochemical water oxidation by ZnO photoanode coupled with Eu2O3 as novel oxygen evolution catalyst

Cited by 27 publications

References 45 publications

Highly Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrochemical Performance of ZnO-Modified In2S3 Nanosheet Arrays by Atomic Layer Deposition

Highly Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrochemical Performance of ZnO-Modified In2S3 Nanosheet Arrays by Atomic Layer Deposition

Photocharging of Europium(III) Tellurium Oxide as a Photoelectrocatalyst

Fast, Low-Cost Synthesis of ZnO:Eu Nanosponges and the Nature of Ln Doping in ZnO

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