title: Plasmon-enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting using au nanoparticles decorated on hematite nanoflake arrays.
abstract: Hematite nanoflake arrays were decorated with Au nanoparticles through a simple solution chemistry approach. We show that the photoactivity of Au-decorated Fe2 O3 electrodes for photoelectrochemical water oxidation can be effectively enhanced in the UV/Visible region compared with the bare Fe2 O3 . Au-nanoparticle-decorated Fe2 O3 nanoflake electrodes exhibit a significant cathodic shift of the onset potential up to 0.6 V [vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)], and a two times increase in the water oxidation photocurrent is achieved at 1.23 VRHE . A maximum photocurrent of 2.0 mA cm(-2) at 1.6 VRHE is obtained in 1 M KOH under AM 1.5 (100 mW cm(-2) ) conditions. The enhancement in photocurrent can be attributed to the Au nanoparticles acting as plasmonic photosensitizers that increase the optical absorption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Martensstrasse 7, 91058 Erlangen (Germany).
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Nhat Truong
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmuki
mesh_terms: D004566:Electrodes; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D013472:Sunlight; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D014867:Water; C000499:ferric oxide; D012834:Silver; D010984:Platinum; D006046:Gold
keywords: gold; hematite; nanoflakes; plasmonic metal; water splitting