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LaTiO2N/In2O3 photoanodes with improved performance for solar water splitting
Céline M Leroy1, Alexandra E Maegli, Kevin Sivula
1Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces (LPI), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. cema.leroy@gmail.com
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|December 3, 2011
Summary
Lanthanum titanate oxynitride (LaTiO(2)N) photoanodes achieved record photocurrents for solar water splitting. A sputtered indium oxide (In(2)O(3)) overlayer further boosted their performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Photocatalysis
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Solar water splitting is a promising method for clean hydrogen production.
- LaTiO(2)N is a potential material for photoanodes in solar water splitting devices.
- Improving the efficiency of photoanodes is crucial for practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare LaTiO(2)N photoanodes using electrophoretic deposition.
- To investigate the effect of an In(2)O(3) overlayer on photoanode performance.
- To achieve enhanced photocurrents for solar water splitting.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoretic deposition of LaTiO(2)N.
- Sputtering deposition of an In(2)O(3) overlayer.
- Photoelectrochemical measurements to evaluate performance.
Main Results:
- The prepared LaTiO(2)N photoanodes exhibited unprecedented photocurrents for this material.
- The In(2)O(3) overlayer significantly enhanced the photoanode performance.
- The combination of LaTiO(2)N and In(2)O(3) shows great potential for efficient solar water splitting.
Conclusions:
- Electrophoretic deposition is an effective method for preparing high-performance LaTiO(2)N photoanodes.
- Indium oxide overlayers are beneficial for improving the efficiency of LaTiO(2)N-based photoanodes.
- This work contributes to the development of advanced materials for solar fuel production.
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