Fabrication of Sb2S3 Light Absorbers on a TiO2 Nanorod Array using electrodeposition as the Photocatalyst for Water Oxidation

• Main Authors: Jia-Yo Hong, 洪家佑
• Other Authors: Lu-Yin Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/gs8293

碩士 === 國立臺北科技大學 === 化學工程研究所 === 105 === Artificial photosynthesis provides a direct approach toward addressing energy and environmental issues by producing chemical fuels such as hydrogen for fuel cells. In this thesis, we propose a photoanode composed of the composite of TiO2 nanorod and Sb2S3 nanoparticles. The TiO2 nanorod array is made on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by using the hydrothermal reaction, and the Sb2S3 nanoparticles were deposited on the TiO2 nanorod array by using the electrodeposition method in the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution. The electrodeposition method is more time-saving as compared with the commonly used chemical bath reaction (CBD) method. The Sb2S3 was selected as the coating material due to its broad light absorption range and the suitable band-edge position relating to those of TiO2 for forming an n/n type heterojunction, aiming to improve the poor visible light absorption and low quantum efficiency of TiO2. A higher photocurrent density of 0.33 mA cm-2 (measured at 1.23 V vs. RHE) and a smaller onset potential of -0.2 V vs. RHE are obtained for the TiO2/Sb2S3 photoanode in a 0.5 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution under AM 1.5G illumination, respectively comparing to those of 0.017 mA cm-2 and -0.1 V onset potential for the TiO2 electrode measured in the same condition. This successful combination of two n-type semiconductors as the photocatalyst for achieving efficient water oxidation provides a conceptual blueprint for designing the composite with complementary optical and electrical properties.