title: Synthesis of novel AuPd nanoparticles decorated one-dimensional ZnO nanorod arrays with enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting activity.
abstract: The vertically aligned one-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanorod arrays decorated with AuPd alloy nanoparticles have been synthesized with ZnO nanorod arrays as template via a mild hydrothermal method. In this work, the as-prepared AuPd/ZnO nanorod arrays demonstrated high light-harvesting efficiency. The microstructures, morphologies and chemical properties of the obtained AuPd/ZnO composite photocatalyst were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of as-obtained AuPd/ZnO nanorod arrays were examined, and the photocurrent density was up to 0.98mAcm(-2) at 0.787V versus Ag/AgCl, which was about 2.4 times higher than the pure ZnO sample. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of the AuPd/ZnO hybrid nanostructures under the simulated sunlight irradiation was proposed to guide further improvement of other desirable materials. According to the above experiment results, it can be clearly found that AuPd/ZnO composite nanorod arrays showed excellent PEC performance and had promising applications in the utilization of solar energy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: gelei08@sina.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Changcun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Science, China University of Petroleum Beijing, No. 18 Fuxue Rd., Beijing 102249, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Siman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fang
keywords: AuPd alloy nanoparticles; Photocatalyst; Photocurrent density; ZnO nanorod arrays