Photocatalytic Oxygen Evolution with Prussian Blue Coated ZnO Origami Core-Shell Nanostructures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Photocatalysis

Background:

• Particulate photocatalysts are crucial for water splitting devices.
• Incorporating earth-abundant metal ions is an attractive strategy for catalyst design.
• Developing efficient and stable photocatalysts is essential for sustainable energy solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and investigate cobalt-iron Prussian blue (PB) coated ZnO origami core-shell nanostructures (PB@ZnO).
• To evaluate the photocatalytic water oxidation activity of PB@ZnO catalysts.
• To understand the role of PB integration in enhancing ZnO's photocatalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CoFe-Prussian blue (PB) coated ZnO origami core-shell nanostructures with varying PB mass ratios.
• Investigation of photocatalytic water oxidation activity using an electron scavenger.
• Assessment of catalyst stability through long-term experiments.

Main Results:

• PB@ZnO nanostructures demonstrated a ~2.4 times higher oxygen evolution rate compared to bare ZnO origami.
• The enhanced activity is attributed to improved charge carrier separation and transfer via the PB-ZnO heterojunction.
• The catalyst maintained its activity and stability for up to 9 hours of operation.

Conclusions:

• Core-shell PB@ZnO particles exhibit suitable band energy alignment for efficient photocatalytic water oxidation.
• The integration of Prussian blue significantly enhances the performance of ZnO-based photocatalysts.
• These findings highlight the potential of PB@ZnO nanostructures for water splitting applications.