Constructing a AZO/TiO2 Core/Shell Nanocone Array with Uniformly Dispersed Au NPs for Enhancing Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
Constructing a AZO/TiO2 Core/Shell Nanocone Array with Uniformly Dispersed Au NPs for Enhancing Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
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DOI：
10.1002/aenm.201501496
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发表时间：
2016-01-07
影响因子：
27.8
通讯作者：
Lei, Yong
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mi, Yan;Wen, Liaoyong;Lei, Yong
构建具有最佳结构和组成的核/壳纳米结构可以最大限度地利用太阳光。在这里，使用Al纳米锥阵列作为衬底，通过原子层沉积、物理气相沉积和退火工艺的三个连续步骤，成功地实现了具有均匀分散的Au纳米颗粒的AZO/TiO 2核/壳纳米锥（AZO/TiO 2/Au NCA）的良好定义的规则阵列。通过调整结构和组成参数，可以最大限度地利用来自核/壳纳米锥阵列的光捕获和短载流子扩散的优点，以及来自Au纳米颗粒的表面等离子体共振和催化效应。结果表明，AZO/TiO 2/Au NCA电极在1.23 V时的光电流密度高达1.1 mA cm（-2），是平面AZO/TiO 2电极（0.22 mA cm（-2））的5倍。此外，AZO/TiO 2/Au NCA电极的光电转换在0.21 V（相对于RHE）下接近0.73%，这是Au/TiO 2 PEC复合材料中有史以来报道的最高值和最低的外加偏压之一。这些结果表明，一个可行的路线走向可扩展的调制核/壳纳米结构的制造，可以很容易地应用到其他金属/半导体复合材料的高性能PEC。
Constructing core/shell nanostructures with optimal structure and composition could maximize the solar light utilization. Here, using an Al nanocone array as a substrate, a well-defined regular array of AZO/TiO2 core/shell nanocones with uniformly dispersed Au nanoparticles (AZO/TiO2/Au NCA) is successfully realized through three sequential steps of atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, and annealing processes. By tuning the structural and compositional parameters, the advantages of light trapping and short carrier diffusion from the core/shell nanocone array, as well as the surface plasmon resonance and catalytic effects from the Au nanoparticles can be maximally utilized. Accordingly, a remarkable photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance can be acquired and the photocurrent density of the AZO/ TiO2/Au NCA electrode reaches up to 1.1 mA cm(-2) at 1.23 V, versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under simulated sunlight illumination, which is five times that of a flat AZO/TiO2 electrode (0.22 mA cm(-2)). Moreover, the photoconversion of the AZO/TiO2 /Au NCA electrode approaches 0.73% at 0.21 V versus RHE, which is one of the highest values with the lowest applied bias ever reported in Au/TiO2 PEC composites. These results demonstrate a feasible route toward the scalable fabrication of well-modulated core/shell nanostructures and can be easily applied to other metal/semiconductor composites for high-performance PEC.