title: Single-Pot Synthesis of ⟨001⟩-Faceted N-Doped Nb2O5/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.
abstract: Due to exciting catalytic activity and selectivity, tailoring of nanocatalysts consisting of preferred crystal facets and desired structural properties remains at the forefront of materials engineering. A facile one-step nonhydrolytic solvothermal synthesis of a nanocomposite of reduced graphene oxide and one-dimensional nitrogen-doped Nb2O5 (N-NbOx) with exposed ⟨001⟩ facet is described. Triethylamine performed the dual role as nitrogen source and capping agent to control the size and unidirectional growth of Nb2O5 nanocrystallites. The nanocomposite showed efficient visible-light-mediated (λ > 420 nm) water splitting in a photoelectrochemical cell. A plausible mechanism for the formation of N-NbOx nanorods and improved photoelectrochemical efficacy in terms of their oriented growth is proposed.
authors.affiliation: †Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qamar
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdalwadoud
authors.affiliation: †Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: †Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Azad
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merzougui
authors.affiliation: †Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bukola
authors.affiliation: †Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yamani
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
keywords: nonaqueous synthesis; semiconductor photocatalyst; solvothermal; sunlight; water splitting