Facile fabrication of nanotubular heterostructure for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

摘要: Abstract A key challenge in photoelectrochemical water-splitting is the development of photoanodes with improved chemically active and optically efficient. While various nanostructures heterogeneous materials have been investigated as a potential electrode, existing structures/compositions are still insufficient to meet such demand. Here, we report scalable strategy fabricate nanotubular structure using CdS–TiO2 composite model system. Precisely, ~5 μm thick heterostructure developed on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass by hydrothermal etching successive ionic layer deposition process. An electron microscopy analysis confirms that formation TiO2 nanotubes preferential direction [001] well uniform coating CdS light-absorber layer. We note coated shows photocurrent density 6.9 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, which ~2 times higher than CdS- nanorod heterostructured photoanode. The elemental optical reveals structural modification sufficient captures wide range light absorption from 300 550 nm. Our results suggest an effective fabrication method applicable for electrodes numerous energy conversion devices, providing increase surface area, absorption, chemical stability.