Black-colored ZnO nanowires with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.
Black-colored ZnO nanowires have been prepared in a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition system by employing a relatively low growth temperature and oxygen-deficient conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the incorporation of carbon into the nanowires. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of the black-colored ZnO nanowires is over 2.5 times larger than that of the pristine ZnO nanowires under simulated solar illumination conditions, and the enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the higher absorption of visible light by the black color and better carrier separation at the ZnO/carbon interface.
State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, People's Republic of China. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China.
Nan
N
Zhang
Chong-Xin
CX
Shan
Hua-Qiao
HQ
Tan
Qi
Q
Zhao
Shuang-Peng
SP
Wang
Zai-Cheng
ZC
Sun
Yong-de
YD
Xia
De-Zhen
DZ
Shen