Nano multi-layered HfO2/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Mansour Alhabradi; Xiuru Yang; Manal Alruwaili; Asif Ali Tahir

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27078

Nano multi-layered HfO₂/α-Fe₂O₃ nanocomposite photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Heliyon. 2024 Feb 24;10(5):e27078. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27078. eCollection 2024 Mar 15.

Authors

Mansour Alhabradi^{1

2}, Xiuru Yang¹, Manal Alruwaili^{1

3}, Asif Ali Tahir¹

Affiliations

¹ Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, United Kingdom.
² Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Majmaah University, Majmaah, 11952, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Jouf University, 2014, Sakaka 42421, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

This study marks a significant stride in enhancing photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting applications through the development of a type II nano-heterojunction comprising HfO₂ and α - Fe₂O₃. Fabricated via Physical Vapor Deposition/Radio Frequency (PVD/RF) sputtering, this nano-heterojunction effectively addresses the efficiency limitations inherent in traditional α - Fe₂O₃photoanodes. The integration of HfO₂ leads to a substantial increase in photocurrent density, soaring from 62 μA/cm² for pure α - Fe₂O₃ to 1.46 mA cm^-2 at 1.23 V versus the Reversible Hydrogen Electrode (RHE). This enhancement, a 23-fold increase, is primarily attributed to the improved absorption of photons in the visible range and the facilitation of more efficient charge transfer. The enhanced performance and long-term stability of the HfO₂/α - Fe₂O₃ nano-heterojunction, validated through XRD, XPS, Raman Spectroscopy, EDS, SEM, EIS, and UPS analyses, demonstrate its potential as a promising and cost-effective solution for PEC water splitting applications, leveraging renewable energy sources.

Keywords: Hematite; HfO2 /α - Fe2O3; Nano-heterostructure; Photoelectrochemical; Physical vapor deposition; RF magnetron sputtering.