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Mesa CA, Sachs M, Pastor E, Gauriot N, Merryweather AJ, Gomez-Gonzalez MA, Ignatyev K, Giménez S, Rao A, Durrant JR, Pandya R. Correlating activities and defects in (photo)electrocatalysts using in-situ multi-modal microscopic imaging. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3908. [PMID: 38724495 PMCID: PMC11082147 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47870-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Photo(electro)catalysts use sunlight to drive chemical reactions such as water splitting. A major factor limiting photocatalyst development is physicochemical heterogeneity which leads to spatially dependent reactivity. To link structure and function in such systems, simultaneous probing of the electrochemical environment at microscopic length scales and a broad range of timescales (ns to s) is required. Here, we address this challenge by developing and applying in-situ (optical) microscopies to map and correlate local electrochemical activity, with hole lifetimes, oxygen vacancy concentrations and photoelectrode crystal structure. Using this multi-modal approach, we study prototypical hematite (α-Fe2O3) photoelectrodes. We demonstrate that regions of α-Fe2O3, adjacent to microstructural cracks have a better photoelectrochemical response and reduced back electron recombination due to an optimal oxygen vacancy concentration, with the film thickness and extended light exposure also influencing local activity. Our work highlights the importance of microscopic mapping to understand activity, in even seemingly homogeneous photoelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo A Mesa
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM) Universitat Jaume I, 12006, Castelló, Spain
- Sociedad de Doctores e Investigadores de Colombia, Grupo de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencia Tecnología e Innovación - BioGRID, Bogotá, 111011, Colombia
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, UAB Campus, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Sachs
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA
- PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ernest Pastor
- Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM) Universitat Jaume I, 12006, Castelló, Spain
- CNRS, Univ Rennes, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes) - UMR 6251, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Nicolas Gauriot
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alice J Merryweather
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel A Gomez-Gonzalez
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantin Ignatyev
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Sixto Giménez
- Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM) Universitat Jaume I, 12006, Castelló, Spain
| | - Akshay Rao
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK
| | - James R Durrant
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 7AX, United Kingdom
| | - Raj Pandya
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK.
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005, Paris, France.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
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Daminelli LM, Rodríguez-Gutierrez I, Pires FA, Dos Santos GT, Bettini J, Souza FL. Self-Diffusion versus Intentional Doping: Beneficial and Damaging Impact on Hematite Photoanode Interfaces. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:55030-55042. [PMID: 37943615 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The comprehension of side effects caused by high-temperature thermal treatments in the design of (photo)electrodes is essential to achieve efficient and cost-effective devices for solar water splitting. This investigation explores the beneficial and damaging impacts of thermal treatments in the (photo)electrode design, unraveling the impact of self-diffusion and its consequences. The industrial-friendly polymeric precursor synthesis (PPS) method, which is known for its easy technological application, was chosen as the fabrication technique for hematite photoabsorbers. For substrate evaluation, two types of conductive glass substrates, aluminum borosilicate and quartz, both coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (ABS/FTO and QTZ/FTO, respectively), were subjected to thermal treatments following the PPS protocol. Optical and structural analyses showed no significant alterations in substrate properties, whereas X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the migration of silicon and calcium ions from the glass component to the FTO surface. This diffusion can be further mitigated by an oxide buffer layer. To track the potential ion diffusion on the photoabsorber surface and assess its effect on the photoelectrode performance, hematite was selected as the model material and deposited onto the glass substrates. From all the ions that could possibly migrate, only Si4+ and Ca2+ originating from the glass component, as well as Sn4+ from the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), were detected on the surface of the hematite photoabsorber. Interestingly, the so-called "self-diffusion" of these ions did not result in any beneficial effect on the hematite photoelectrochemical response. Instead, intentional modifications showed more substantial impacts on the photoelectrochemical efficiency compared to unintentional self-diffusion. Therefore, "self-diffusion", which can unintentionally dope the hematite, is not sufficient to significantly impact the final photocurrent. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the true effect of thermal treatments on the photoelectrode properties to unlock their full potential in photoelectrochemical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M Daminelli
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
- Humanities and Nature Science Center (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André, Sao PauloCEP 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Ingrid Rodríguez-Gutierrez
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Fabio A Pires
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), PO Box 6154, Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Gabriel T Dos Santos
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
- Engineering School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90010-150, Brazil
| | - Jefferson Bettini
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Flavio L Souza
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-100, Brazil
- Humanities and Nature Science Center (CCNH), Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André, Sao PauloCEP 09210-580, Brazil
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), PO Box 6154, Campinas, Sao PauloCEP 13083-970, Brazil
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Rudatis P, Hrubesch J, Kremshuber S, Apaydin DH, Eder D. Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity in Hematite Photoanodes: Effect of Sb-Li Co-Doping. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:2027-2033. [PMID: 36687027 PMCID: PMC9850461 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Co-doping represents a valid approach to maximize the performance of photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic semiconductors. Albeit theoretical predictions in hematite suggesting a bulk n-type doping and a surface p-type doping would deliver best results, hematite co-doping with coupled cations possessing low and high oxidation states has shown promising results. Herein, we report, for the first time, Sb and Li co-doping of hematite photoanodes. Particularly, this is also a seminal work for the introduction of the highly reactive Sb5+ directly into the hematite thin films. Upon co-doping, we have a synergistic effect on the current densities with a 67-fold improvement over the standard. Via a combined investigation with profuse photoelectrochemical measurements, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman analyses, we confirm the two doping roles of Sb5+ and Li+ as the substitutional and interstitial dopant, respectively. The improvements are attributed to a higher charge carrier concentration along with a lower charge transfer resistance at the surface.
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Fang T, Li L, Liu C, Mitsuzaki N, Chen Z. Effect of the conductive substrate on the photoelectrocatalytic properties of hematite for water splitting. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2022.114226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Xiao C, Zhou Z, Li L, Wu S, Li X. Correction to: Tin and Oxygen-Vacancy Co-doping into Hematite Photoanode for Improved Photoelectrochemical Performances. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2022; 17:24. [PMID: 35129725 PMCID: PMC8821735 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-022-03660-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chenhong Xiao
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province & Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhongyuan Zhou
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province & Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liujing Li
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province & Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shaolong Wu
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province & Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xiaofeng Li
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province & Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhou D, Fan K. Recent strategies to enhance the efficiency of hematite photoanodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting. CHINESE JOURNAL OF CATALYSIS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2067(20)63712-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Sun Z, Fang G, Li J, Mo J, He X, Wang X, Yu Z. Preparation of (Ti, Zr) co-doped hematite photoanode for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting. Chem Phys Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2020.137736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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