Solution Processed Porous Fe2O3 Thin Films for Solar-Driven Water Splitting

Mahesh P. Suryawanshi; Seonghyeop Kim; Uma V. Ghorpade; Umesh P. Suryawanshi; Jun Sung Jang; Myeng Gil Gang; Jin Hyeok Kim; Jong Ha Moon

Korean Journal of Materials Research, Vol.27, No.11, 631-635, November, 2017

DOI10.3740/MRSK.2017.27.11.631 Export Citation

Solution Processed Porous Fe2O3 Thin Films for Solar-Driven Water Splitting

Mahesh P. Suryawanshi, Seonghyeop Kim¹, Uma V. Ghorpade, Umesh P. Suryawanshi, Jun Sung Jang, Myeng Gil Gang, Jin Hyeok Kim^†, and Jong Ha Moon^†

Optoelectronic Convergence Research Center, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea
¹R & D Division, Feelstone Inc., 37 Eco-gil, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do 517-700, Republic of Korea

E-mail:,

We report facile solution processing of mesoporous hematite (α-Fe2O3) thin films for high efficiency solar-driven water splitting. Fe2O3 thin films were prepared on fluorine doped tin oxide(FTO) conducting substrates by spin coating of a precursor solution followed by annealing at 550 °C for 30 min. in air ambient. Specifically, the precursor solution was prepared by dissolving non-toxic FeCl3 as an Fe source in highly versatile dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) as a solvent. The as-deposited and annealed thin films were characterized for their morphological, structural and optical properties using field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical performance of the precursor (α-FeOOH) and annealed (α-Fe2O3) films were characterized and it was found that the α-Fe2O3 film exhibited an increased photocurrent density of ~0.78 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is about 3.4 times higher than that of the α-FeOOH films (0.23 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE). The improved performance can be attributed to the improved crystallinity and porosity of α-Fe2O3 thin films after annealing treatment at higher temperatures. Detailed electrical characterization was further carried out to elucidate the enhanced PEC performance of α-Fe2O3 thin films.

Keywords:solution processing;annealing;porous;hematite;solar water splitting

[References]

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Kim JY, Magesh G, Youn DH, Jang JW, Kubota J, Domen K, Lee JS, Sci. Rep-Uk, 3 (2013)
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Vayssieres L, Sathe C, Butorin SM, Shuh DK, Nordgren J, Guo JH, Adv. Mater., 17(19), 2320 (2005)

[1] Fujishima A, Honda K, Nature, 238, 37 (1972)

[2] Ling YC, Wang GM, Wheeler DA, Zhang JZ, Li Y, Nano Lett., 11, 2119 (2011)

[3] Suryawanshi MP, Ghorpade UV, Shin SW, Gang MG, Wang X, Park H, Kang SH, Kim JH, ACS Catal., 7, 8077 (2017)

[4] Kim TW, Choi KS, Science, 343(6174), 990 (2014)

[5] Liu R, Lin YJ, Chou IY, Sheehan SW, He WS, Zhang G, Hou HJM, Wang DW, Angew. Chem.-Int. Edit., 50, 499 (2011)

[6] Wang GM, Ling YC, Wheeler DA, George KEN, Horsley K, Heske C, Zhang JZ, Li Y, Nano Lett., 11, 3503 (2011)

[7] Brillet J, Gratzel M, Sivula K, Nano Lett., 10, 4155 (2010)

[8] Sivula K, Zboril T, Le Formal F, Robert R, Wiedenkaff A, Tucek J, Frydrych J, Gratzel M, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 132, 7436 (2010)

[9] Tahir AA, Wijayantha KGU, Saremi-Yarahmadi S, Mazhar M, Mckee V, Chem. Mater., 21, 3763 (2009)

[10] Park CD, Magana D, Stiegman AE, Chem. Mater., 19, 677 (2007)

[11] Glasscock JA, Barnes PRF, Plumb IC, Savvides N, J. Phys. Chem., 111, 16477 (2007)

[12] Duret A, Gratzel M, J. Phys. Chem. B, 109(36), 17184 (2005)

[13] Kim JY, Magesh G, Youn DH, Jang JW, Kubota J, Domen K, Lee JS, Sci. Rep-Uk, 3 (2013)

[14] Yamashita T, Hayes P, Appl. Surf. Sci., 254(8), 2441 (2008)

[15] Cesar I, Kay A, Martinez JAG, Gratzel M, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 128(14), 4582 (2006)

[16] Vayssieres L, Sathe C, Butorin SM, Shuh DK, Nordgren J, Guo JH, Adv. Mater., 17(19), 2320 (2005)