This study achieved a nanocomposite structure of nickel oxide (NiO)/titanium dioxide (TiO₂) heterojunction on a TiO₂ film surface. The photocatalytic activity of this structure evaluated by decomposing methylene blue (MB) solution was strongly correlated to the conductive behavior of the NiO film. A p-type NiO film of high concentration in contact with the native n-type TiO₂ film, which resulted in a strong inner electrical field to effectively separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than the controlled TiO₂ film. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the NiO/TiO₂ nanocomposite structure was enhanced as the thickness of the p-NiO film decreased, which was beneficial for the migration of the photogenerated carriers to the structural surface.
Keywords: NiO/TiO2 heterojunction; inner electrical field; nanocomposite structure; photocatalytic activity; photogenerated electron-hole pair.