Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe2O3 photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing

Alexander N. Bondarchuk; Laurence M. Peter; Gabriela P. Kissling; Elena Madrid; Josué A. Aguilar-Martínez; Zuhayr Rymansaib; Pejman Iravani; Murilo Gromboni; Lucia H. Mascaro; Aron Walsh; Frank Marken

doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047

Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe₂O₃ photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing

Alexander N. Bondarchuk, Laurence M. Peter, Gabriela P. Kissling, Elena Madrid, Josué A. Aguilar-Martínez, Zuhayr Rymansaib, Pejman Iravani, Murilo Gromboni, Lucia H. Mascaro, Aron Walsh, Frank Marken

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transparent nano-structured hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) films of approximately 550 nm thickness on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) have been obtained conveniently by ink-jet printing of a Fe(NO₃)₃/Brij^® O10 precursor ink and subsequent annealing at 500 °C in air. When illuminated with a blue LED (λ = 455 nm, ca. 100 mW cm⁻²), the hematite films exhibited photocurrents of up to 70 μA cm⁻² at 0.4 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte. Thermal annealing in vacuum at 500 °C for 2 h increased photocurrents more than three times to 230 μA cm⁻² in agreement with previous literature reports for pure hematite materials. These results suggest that a simple ink-jetting process with surfactants is viable. The effects of vacuum-annealing on the photoelectrical properties of α-Fe₂O₃ films are discussed in terms of a sub-surface state templating hypothesis based on data gathered from photo-transients, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, photocurrent spectra, and cyclic voltammetry.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	289-295
Number of pages	7
Journal	Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
Volume	211
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047
State	Published - 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Hematite films
Oxygen evolution
Photoanode
Solar energy
Water splitting

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047

Cite this

Bondarchuk, A. N., Peter, L. M., Kissling, G. P., Madrid, E., Aguilar-Martínez, J. A., Rymansaib, Z., Iravani, P., Gromboni, M., Mascaro, L. H., Walsh, A., & Marken, F. (2017). Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe₂O₃ photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 211, 289-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047

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title = "Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe2O3 photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing",

abstract = "Transparent nano-structured hematite (α-Fe2O3) films of approximately 550 nm thickness on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) have been obtained conveniently by ink-jet printing of a Fe(NO3)3/Brij{\textregistered} O10 precursor ink and subsequent annealing at 500 °C in air. When illuminated with a blue LED (λ = 455 nm, ca. 100 mW cm−2), the hematite films exhibited photocurrents of up to 70 μA cm−2 at 0.4 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte. Thermal annealing in vacuum at 500 °C for 2 h increased photocurrents more than three times to 230 μA cm−2 in agreement with previous literature reports for pure hematite materials. These results suggest that a simple ink-jetting process with surfactants is viable. The effects of vacuum-annealing on the photoelectrical properties of α-Fe2O3 films are discussed in terms of a sub-surface state templating hypothesis based on data gathered from photo-transients, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, photocurrent spectra, and cyclic voltammetry.",

keywords = "Hematite films, Oxygen evolution, Photoanode, Solar energy, Water splitting",

author = "Bondarchuk, {Alexander N.} and Peter, {Laurence M.} and Kissling, {Gabriela P.} and Elena Madrid and Aguilar-Mart{\'i}nez, {Josu{\'e} A.} and Zuhayr Rymansaib and Pejman Iravani and Murilo Gromboni and Mascaro, {Lucia H.} and Aron Walsh and Frank Marken",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2017",

doi = "10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047",

language = "English",

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Bondarchuk, AN, Peter, LM, Kissling, GP, Madrid, E, Aguilar-Martínez, JA, Rymansaib, Z, Iravani, P, Gromboni, M, Mascaro, LH, Walsh, A & Marken, F 2017, 'Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe₂O₃ photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing', Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, vol. 211, pp. 289-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.04.047

TY - JOUR

T1 - Vacuum-annealing induces sub-surface redox-states in surfactant-structured Α-Fe2O3 photoanodes prepared by ink-jet printing

AU - Bondarchuk, Alexander N.

AU - Peter, Laurence M.

AU - Kissling, Gabriela P.

AU - Madrid, Elena

AU - Aguilar-Martínez, Josué A.

AU - Rymansaib, Zuhayr

AU - Iravani, Pejman

AU - Gromboni, Murilo

AU - Mascaro, Lucia H.

AU - Walsh, Aron

AU - Marken, Frank

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Transparent nano-structured hematite (α-Fe2O3) films of approximately 550 nm thickness on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) have been obtained conveniently by ink-jet printing of a Fe(NO3)3/Brij® O10 precursor ink and subsequent annealing at 500 °C in air. When illuminated with a blue LED (λ = 455 nm, ca. 100 mW cm−2), the hematite films exhibited photocurrents of up to 70 μA cm−2 at 0.4 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte. Thermal annealing in vacuum at 500 °C for 2 h increased photocurrents more than three times to 230 μA cm−2 in agreement with previous literature reports for pure hematite materials. These results suggest that a simple ink-jetting process with surfactants is viable. The effects of vacuum-annealing on the photoelectrical properties of α-Fe2O3 films are discussed in terms of a sub-surface state templating hypothesis based on data gathered from photo-transients, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, photocurrent spectra, and cyclic voltammetry.

AB - Transparent nano-structured hematite (α-Fe2O3) films of approximately 550 nm thickness on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) have been obtained conveniently by ink-jet printing of a Fe(NO3)3/Brij® O10 precursor ink and subsequent annealing at 500 °C in air. When illuminated with a blue LED (λ = 455 nm, ca. 100 mW cm−2), the hematite films exhibited photocurrents of up to 70 μA cm−2 at 0.4 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte. Thermal annealing in vacuum at 500 °C for 2 h increased photocurrents more than three times to 230 μA cm−2 in agreement with previous literature reports for pure hematite materials. These results suggest that a simple ink-jetting process with surfactants is viable. The effects of vacuum-annealing on the photoelectrical properties of α-Fe2O3 films are discussed in terms of a sub-surface state templating hypothesis based on data gathered from photo-transients, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, photocurrent spectra, and cyclic voltammetry.

KW - Hematite films

KW - Oxygen evolution

KW - Photoanode

KW - Solar energy

KW - Water splitting

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