Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T03:55:53.857Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Wide Band Gap Quantum Dots Sensitized α-Fe2O3 Thin Film for Solar Generation of Hydrogen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2015

Ashi Ikram ,
Sonal Sahai ,
Snigdha Rai ,
Sahab Dass ,
Rohit Shrivastav  and
Vibha R. Satsangi
Ashi Ikram
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Computer Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
Sonal Sahai
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Computer Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
Snigdha Rai
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Computer Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
Sahab Dass
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
Rohit Shrivastav
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
Vibha R. Satsangi*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Computer Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India
*
*Corresponding Author’s Email Address: vibhasatsangi@gmail.com
Get access

Abstract

Present study investigates the system of small and large band gap materials for their use in Photoelectrochemical splitting of water. Electrodeposited Zr doped hematite (α-Fe2O3) films were subjected to ZnO quantum dots sensitization for 24, 48, and 72 hours which later on characterized for optical, structural, morphological and photoelectrochemical properties. These sensitized films, when used as photoelectrode in PEC cell, showed a significant increase in the photocurrent density as compared to unsensitized films. This may be attributed to reduction in carrier recombination rate along with photocatalytic effect of ZnO. The enhanced photo response has also been supported by increased negative value of flat band potential from -0.29V/SCE for unsensitized film to -0.8V/SCE for ZnO QDs sensitized hematite film, as examined by Mott-Schottky curve. In the present system, small band gap hematite has been chosen as a main solar energy absorber, while wide band gap ZnO QDs decorated over it, as an efficient electron transport across the interface by reducing charge carrier recombination rate.

Keywords

electrodepositionenergy storagethin film
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1738: Symposium V – Sustainable Solar-Energy Conversion Using Earth-Abundant Materials , 2015 , mrsf14-1738-v14-49
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bak, T., Nowotny, J., Rekas, M., Sorrell, C.C., International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 27, 991 – 1022 (2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rai, S., Ikram, A., Sahai, S., Dass, S., Shrivastav, R., Satsangi, V.R., RSC advances, 4, 17671 (2014)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mukherjee, B., Smith, Y.R., Subramanian, V., J. Phys. Chem. C, 116, 15175−15184 (2012)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ikram, A., Sahai, S., Rai, S., Dass, S., Shrivastav, R., Satsangi, V.R., J. of Power Sources, 267, 664–672 (2014)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jasieniak, J., Smith, L., Embden, J., Mulvaney, P., Califano, M., J Phys Chem C, 113 19468–74 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vaseem, M., Umar, A., Hahn, Y.-B., in Metal Oxide Nanostructures and Their Applications, edited by Umar, Ahmad and Hahn, Yoon-Bong, (American Scientific Publishers, 2010), 5, Pages 1–36 Google Scholar
Sivula, K., Formal, F.L., Gratzel, M., Chem. Sus Chem. 4, 432–449 (2011).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
-Shwarsctein, A. K., Huda, M. N., Walsh, A., Yan, Y., Stucky, G. D., Hu, Y.-S., Al-Jassim, M. M., McFarland, E. W., Chem. Mater., 22, 510–517(2010)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haranath, D., Sahai, S., Joshi, A. G., Gupta, B. K., Shanker, V, Nanotechnology 20, 425701 (7pp) (2009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharma, V., Kumar, P., Shrivastava, J., Solanki, A., Satsangi, V. R., Dass, S., Shrivastav, R., J Mater Sci 46, 3792–3801(2011)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingler, W. B., Khan, S.U.M., Thin Solid Films, 461, 301–8 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar