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Distinguishing surface effects of gold nanoparticles from plasmonic effect on photoelectrochemical water splitting by hematite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2016

Jiangtian Li ,
Scott K. Cushing ,
Deryn Chu ,
Peng Zheng ,
Joeseph Bright ,
Conner Castle ,
Ayyakkannu Manivannan  and
Nianqiang Wu
Jiangtian Li
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA
Scott K. Cushing
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA; and Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6315, USA
Deryn Chu
Affiliation:
Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, US Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, Maryland 20783-1197, USA
Peng Zheng
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA
Joeseph Bright
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA
Conner Castle
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA
Ayyakkannu Manivannan
Affiliation:
National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown, West Virginia 26507, USA
Nianqiang Wu*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6106, USA
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: nick.wu@mail.wvu.edu
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Abstract

Gold nanoparticles have been deposited on the surface of hematite nanorod array photoanode to improve the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance. The Au nanoparticles induce the Fermi level equilibration, the surface catalysis, and the plasmonic enhancement effects in the Au/hematite photoanode. The Fermi level equilibration effect promotes the extraction of photo-generated charge carriers, suppressing the charge recombination. Surface catalysis effect reduces the overpotential for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. In the Au/hematite sample, the Fermi level equilibration and the surface catalysis effect make major contribution to photocurrent enhancement while the plasmonic effect makes a little contribution. In addition, the Au@SiO2 particle has been immobilized on hematite nanorod array surface that has been passivated. In the Au@SiO2/hematite sample, the photocurrent enhancement originating from plasmonic effects is negligible. Both the Femi level equilibration and the surface catalysis effects were excluded due to the isolated Au and hematite while surface passivation is mainly responsible for the photocurrent enhancement.

Keywords

energy generationnanostructurephotochemical
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 31 , Issue 11: Focus Issue: Advanced Materials and Structures for Solar Fuels , 14 June 2016 , pp. 1608 - 1615
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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