title: Photoelectrochemistry of n-type antimony sulfoiodide nanowires.
abstract: In the presented work the photoelectrochemical properties of SbSI along with the electronic structure (i.e. conduction and valence band edge potentials as well as conductivity type) of sonochemically obtained nanowires are discussed for the first time. The spectroscopic investigations indicate interesting optical properties, including surface isotope effect and excitonic emission. The photoelectrochemical investigation of SbSI revealed the occurrence of the photoelectrochemical photocurrent switching effect. It may be defined as a change in photocurrent direction (generated at the illuminated semiconducting electrode immersed in electrolyte) due to an appropriate polarization of the electrode versus the reference electrode. It is often observed for semiconductors as a result of the reduction of molecular oxygen dissolved in the electrolyte. However, in the case of SbSI, the photocurrent switching was recorded regardless of the presence of molecular oxygen in the electrolyte, probably due to the reduction of triiodide species formed at anodic polarization of the SbSI electrode, in an iodide-containing electrolyte. The switching potential (i.e. the potential where anodic-to-cathodic photocurrent transition occurs) equals to ca. 0.4 V versus standard hydrogen electrode, which is close to the formal potential of the I(-)/I3(-) redox couple. Therefore, this semiconducting material is of potential interest for the construction of new photovoltaic systems, novel optoelectronic switches and logic devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science, Rzeszow University of Technology, ul. W. Pola 2, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland. AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kwolek
authors.forename: Kacper
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pilarczyk
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokarski
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mech
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Irzmański
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szaciłowski