Acid Treatment Enables Suppression of Electron–Hole Recombination in Hematite for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Yi Yang
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorMark Forster
Department of Chemistry and Stephenson, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD UK
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Yichuan Ling
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Gongming Wang
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Teng Zhai
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
School of Chemistry and Chemistry Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 P.R. China
Search for more papers by this authorProf. Yexiang Tong
School of Chemistry and Chemistry Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 P.R. China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Alexander J. Cowan
Department of Chemistry and Stephenson, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD UK
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Yat Li
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorYi Yang
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorMark Forster
Department of Chemistry and Stephenson, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD UK
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Yichuan Ling
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Gongming Wang
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorDr. Teng Zhai
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
School of Chemistry and Chemistry Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 P.R. China
Search for more papers by this authorProf. Yexiang Tong
School of Chemistry and Chemistry Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 P.R. China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Alexander J. Cowan
Department of Chemistry and Stephenson, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD UK
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Prof. Yat Li
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
We report a strategy for efficient suppression of electron–hole recombination in hematite photoanodes. Acid-treated hematite showed a substantially enhanced photocurrent density compared to untreated samples. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that the enhanced photocurrent is partly due to improved efficiency of charge separation. Transient absorption spectroscopic studies coupled to electrochemical measurements indicate that, in addition to improved bulk electrochemical properties, acid-treated hematite has significantly decreased surface electron–hole recombination losses owing to a greater yield of the trapped photoelectrons being extracted to the external circuit.
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