title: Hematite photoanodes modified with an Fe(III) water oxidation catalyst.
abstract: Hematite photoelectrodes prepared via a hydrothermal route are functionalized with a water oxidation catalyst consisting of amorphous Fe(III) oxide, obtained by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction. The performances of the catalyst-modified photoanodes are considerably higher than those of the parent electrodes, resulting in a nearly doubled photoanodic current in all the basic aqueous electrolytes explored in this study. The combination of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and laser flash photolysis indicates that the presence of the catalyst results in enhanced hole trapping in surface reactive states exposed to the electrolyte, allowing for a more successful competition between charge transfer and recombination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-27 44121 Ferrara (Italy).
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dalle Carbonare
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cristino
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carli
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Argazzi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caramori
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meda
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tacca
authors.forename: Carlo Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bignozzi
keywords: catalysts; hematite; impedance; laser spectroscopy; photoelectrochemistry