Nanostructured AlFeO3 thin films as a novel photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting
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The earth-abundant and robust aluminum ferrite, AlFeO3 (AFO), is mainly studied in the context of ferroelectrics. Herein, we demonstrate that AFO can be used as a stable solar absorber in photoelectrochemical cells for solar water splitting, exhibiting attractive performance. This is the first report on the photoelectrochemical activity of AFO. AFO thin-film photoelectrodes prepared by solution-processing methods are composed of vertically oriented thin nanosheets, featuring the rhombohedral symmetry (R3c) and n-type conductivity. The as-prepared AFO photoanodes generate a photocurrent density of +0.78 mA·cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with the photocurrent onset potential (Uonset) close to the flat band potential of 0.5 V vs. RHE in the presence of hole scavengers. Remarkably, the Uonset of AFO for solar water splitting coincides with the flat band potential as well, which is rare in n-type inorganic absorbers. We also report other properties of AFO associated with photoelectrochemical performance. AFO films exhibit a band gap energy of 2.31 eV and positive band edges with low dispersion. Moreover, the carrier lifetimes in AFO films are up to millisecond timescales under the mediation of defect traps. Based on the photoelectrochemical behavior and optoelectronic properties, we believe that AFO has great potential for application in photoelectrochemical cells.
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Nanostructured AlFeO3 thin films as a novel photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting
)
Abstract
The earth-abundant and robust aluminum ferrite, AlFeO3 (AFO), is mainly studied in the context of ferroelectrics. Herein, we demonstrate that AFO can be used as a stable solar absorber in photoelectrochemical cells for solar water splitting, exhibiting attractive performance. This is the first report on the photoelectrochemical activity of AFO. AFO thin-film photoelectrodes prepared by solution-processing methods are composed of vertically oriented thin nanosheets, featuring the rhombohedral symmetry (R3c) and n-type conductivity. The as-prepared AFO photoanodes generate a photocurrent density of +0.78 mA·cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with the photocurrent onset potential (Uonset) close to the flat band potential of 0.5 V vs. RHE in the presence of hole scavengers. Remarkably, the Uonset of AFO for solar water splitting coincides with the flat band potential as well, which is rare in n-type inorganic absorbers. We also report other properties of AFO associated with photoelectrochemical performance. AFO films exhibit a band gap energy of 2.31 eV and positive band edges with low dispersion. Moreover, the carrier lifetimes in AFO films are up to millisecond timescales under the mediation of defect traps. Based on the photoelectrochemical behavior and optoelectronic properties, we believe that AFO has great potential for application in photoelectrochemical cells.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the support from the project of State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources (Nos. LAPS21004 and LAPS202114), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52272200, 51972110, 52102245, 52102203, and 52072121), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2022M721129), Beijing Science and Technology Project (No. Z211100004621010), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Nos. 2222076 and 2222077), Hebei Natural Science Foundation (No. E2022502022), Huaneng Group Headquarters Science and Technology Project (No. HNKJ20-H88), 2022 Strategic Research Key Project of Science and Technology Commission of the Ministry of Education, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Nos. 2022MS030, 2021MS028, 2020MS023, and 2020MS028), and the NCEPU “Double First-Class” Program.
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