High density n-Si/n-TiO2 core/shell nanowire arrays with enhanced photoactivity.
There are currently great needs to develop low-cost inorganic materials that can efficiently perform solar water splitting as photoelectrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen has significant potential to provide clean energy. We investigate the Si/TiO(2) nanowire heterostructures to determine their potential for the photooxidation of water. We observed that highly dense Si/TiO(2) core/shell nanowire arrays enhanced the photocurrent by 2.5 times compared to planar Si/TiO(2) structure due to their low reflectance and high surface area. We also showed that n-Si/n-TiO(2) nanowire arrays exhibited a larger photocurrent and open circuit voltage than p-Si/n-TiO(2) nanowires due to a barrier at the heterojunction.
Hwang
Yun Jeong
YJ
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Boukai
Akram
A
Yang
Peidong
P
D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D012825:Silicon