Interface designing of efficient Z-scheme Ti-ZnFe2O4/In2O3 photoanode toward boosting photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Kaikai Ba; Yinyin Li; Yunan Liu; Yanhong Lin; Dejun Wang; Tengfeng Xie; Jun Li

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.100

Interface designing of efficient Z-scheme Ti-ZnFe₂O₄/In₂O₃ photoanode toward boosting photoelectrochemical water oxidation

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Nov:649:492-500. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.100. Epub 2023 Jun 20.

Authors

Kaikai Ba¹, Yinyin Li¹, Yunan Liu¹, Yanhong Lin¹, Dejun Wang¹, Tengfeng Xie², Jun Li³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China.
² Institute of Physical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China. Electronic address: xietf@jlu.edu.cn.
³ Institute of Physical Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China. Electronic address: lj98998@jlu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37356150
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.100

Abstract

Ti-ZnFe₂O₄ photoanode has attracted extensive attention in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation due to its narrow band gap and good photostability. However, its low efficiency limits its development. Herein, we designed and constructed direct Z-scheme Ti-ZnFe₂O₄/In₂O₃ (Ti-ZFO/In₂O₃) photoanode. Under the interface electric field, photogenerated holes with stronger oxidation capacity on In₂O₃ are retained to participate in the water oxidation reaction, and the photocurrent density of Ti-ZFO/In₂O₃ is much higher than that of pure Ti-ZFO, reaching 2.2 mA/cm² at 1.23 V vs. RHE. Kelvin Probe, steady-state photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV), transient photovoltage spectroscopy (TPV) and in-situ double beam strategy were used to demonstrate the Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism of Ti-ZFO/In₂O₃ photoanode. Our work provides an effective scheme and technical means for further understanding the mechanism of interfacial charge transfer.

Keywords: Charge separation; Interface electric field; Ti-ZnFe(2)O(4)/In(2)O(3) photoanode; Water oxidation; Z-scheme mechanism.