title: Highly active and enhanced photocatalytic silicon nanowire arrays.
abstract: Nanoporous and nonporous three-dimensional silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) prepared with metal-assisted chemical etching method were investigated as photocatalysts in dye photodegradation systematically. In comparison with nonporous SiNWAs, nanoporous SiNWAs have higher surface area, larger pore volume, stronger light absorption and better photocatalytic activity. After the HF-treatment, the photocatalytic activity of all kinds of SiNWAs increased significantly and the nanoporous SiNWAs showed excellent stability. The photocatalytic activity of different types of SiNWAs with hydrogen surface termination can be recovered by HF treatment. This study also reveal that the hydrogen terminated surfaces on silicon nanowires (SiNWs) enhance the performance of SiNWAs by increasing their photocatalytic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry and Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China.
authors.forename: Feng-Yun
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qing-Dan
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ngai-Yu
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Ning-Bew
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Johnny C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000327:Adsorption; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009584:Nitrogen; D010316:Particle Size; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D016062:Porosity; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; C008492:methyl red; D009584:Nitrogen; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; D012825:Silicon