Strongly Enhanced Water Splitting Performance of Ta₃N₅ Nanotube Photoanodes with Subnitrides

Abstract

Subnitrides strongly enhance the efficiency of Ta3 N5 -nanotube photoanodes in photochemical water splitting. The fabrication of Ta3 N5 nanotube layers with a controlled subnitride layer at the interface to the back contact is demonstrated. The insertion of this subnitride layer has a strong influence on the electron transfer to the back contact, and as a result leads to a drastic shift in photocurrent onset potential and a considerable enhancement of photocurrent conversion efficiency.

Pristine Ta3N5 Nanotubes: Trap‐Driven High External Biasing Perspective in Semiconductor/Electrolyte Interfaces

“…Figure a displays the conventional XRD patterns obtained from Ta 3 N 5 NTs adhered to the Ta substrate. Three different kinds of species can be observed in the diffractogram: Ta 3 N 5 (JCPDS card no: 79‐1533), subnitride (JCPDS card no: 25‐1278, 25‐1279), and Ta (JCPDS card no: 4‐788); their corresponding peaks are marked as: *, β, and α, respectively . The JCPDS card no: 79‐1533 is the characteristic of the orthorhombic crystalline phase of Ta 3 N 5 , which corroborates with the HRTEM results.…”

“…Three different kinds of speciesc an be observed in the diffractogram: Ta 3 N 5 (JCPDS card no:7 9-1533), subnitride (JCPDS card no:2 5-1278, , and Ta (JCPDSc ard no:4 -788); their corresponding peaks are marked as:* ,b,a nd a,r espectively. [25,42,43] The JCPDS card no:7 9-1533 is the characteristic of the orthorhombicc rystalline phase of Ta 3 N 5 ,w hich corroborates with the HRTEM results. In addition, the sharpness of the diffraction peaks shows the high-order crystallinity of the prepared sample.…”

Endotaxial Growth of [100]‐Oriented TaON Films on LiTaO3 Single Crystals for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

“…The XRD patterns of the (012) LiTaO 3 surface covered with thin TaON layer show all the peaks of TaON, indicating that the thin TaON layer covering the (012) surface of LiTaO 3 single crystal has no preferential orientation. In general, the nitridation of a Ta‐containing oxide precursor is thermodynamically unfavorable because Ta has a stronger affinity to oxygen than to nitrogen, and hence requires a high reaction temperature and a long reaction time . In addition, the nitridation on the surface of LiTaO 3 single crystal precursor produces Li 2 O in addition to TaON.…”

Retracted: Dual Effects of Nanostructuring and Oxygen Vacancy on Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Activity of Superstructured and Defective Hematite Nanorods

“…The above results indicate that the improved PEC performance originates from a more effective charge transfer capability at the α‐Fe 2 O 3 NRs/substrate interface. The formation of (104) and (110) planes combined with suboxide layers provide efficient charge transport to the back contact . The structure of α‐Fe 2 O 3 is extensively investigated through various spectroscopic techniques.…”