title: Enhanced photocatalytic activity and charge carrier dynamics of hetero-structured organic-inorganic nano-photocatalysts.
abstract: P3HT-coupled CdS heterostructured nanophotocatalysts have been synthesized by an inexpensive and scalable chemical bath deposition approach followed by drop casting. The presence of amorphous regions corresponding to P3HT in addition to the lattice fringes [(002) and (101)] corresponding to hexagonal CdS in the HRTEM image confirm the coupling of P3HT onto CdS. The shift of π* (C═C) and σ* (C-C) peaks toward lower energy losses and prominent presence of σ* (C-H) in the case of P3HT-CdS observed in electron energy loss spectrum implies the formation of heterostructured P3HT-CdS. It was further corroborated by the shifting of S 2p peaks toward higher binding energy (163.8 and 164.8 eV) in the XPS spectrum of P3HT-CdS. The current density recorded under illumination for the 0.2 wt % P3HT-CdS photoelectrode is 3 times higher than that of unmodified CdS and other loading concentration of P3HT coupled CdS photoelectrodes. The solar hydrogen generation studies show drastic enhancement in the hydrogen generation rate i.e. 4108 μmol h(-1)g(-1) in the case of 0.2 wt % P3HT-CdS. The improvement in the photocatalytic activity of 0.2 wt % P3HT-CdS photocatalyst is ascribed to improved charge separation lead by the unison of shorter lifetime (τ1=0.25 ns) of excitons, higher degree of band bending, and increased donor density as revealed by transient photoluminescence studies and Mott-Schottky analysis.
authors.affiliation: †Colloids and Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 013, India.|‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (CSIR-AcSIR), New Delhi 110 025, India.
authors.forename: Kamala K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.affiliation: †Colloids and Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 013, India.|‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (CSIR-AcSIR), New Delhi 110 025, India.
authors.forename: Smrutirekha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.affiliation: §Surface Physics and Material Science Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 064, India.
authors.forename: Biswarup
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Satpati
authors.affiliation: †Colloids and Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 013, India.|‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (CSIR-AcSIR), New Delhi 110 025, India.
authors.forename: Laxmidhar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Besra
authors.affiliation: †Colloids and Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 013, India.
authors.forename: Biswajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: †Colloids and Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751 013, India.|‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (CSIR-AcSIR), New Delhi 110 025, India.
authors.forename: Yatendra S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
keywords: heterostructure; photocatalysis; photoelectrochemical water splitting; time-resolved photoluminescence