title: Light illuminated α-Fe2O3/Pt nanoparticles as water activation agent for photoelectrochemical water splitting.
abstract: The photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is hampered by strong bonds of H2O molecules and low ionic conductivity of pure water. The photocatalysts dispersed in pure water can serve as a water activation agent, which provides an alternative pathway to overcome such limitations. Here we report that the light illuminated α-Fe2O3/Pt nanoparticles may produce a reservoir of reactive intermediates including H2O2, ·OH, OH(-) and H(+) capable of promoting the pure water reduction/oxidation half-reactions at cathode and highly photocatalytic-active TiO2/In2S3/AgInS2 photoanode, respectively. Remarkable photocurrent enhancement has been obtained with α-Fe2O3/Pt as water activation agent. The use of α-Fe2O3/Pt to promote the reactivity of pure water represents a new paradigm for reproducible hydrogen fuel provision by PEC water splitting, allowing efficient splitting of pure water without adding of corrosive chemicals or sacrificial agent.
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China [2] Sichuan Research Center of New Materials, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zemin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lulu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China [2] Sichuan Research Center of New Materials, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China [2] Sichuan Research Center of New Materials, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: 1] Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China [2] Sichuan Research Center of New Materials, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Erqing
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Xie