Enhanced solar-driven water splitting performance using oxygen vacancy rich ZnO photoanodes

Salih, AK; Phillips, MR; Ton-That, C

Enhanced solar-driven water splitting performance using oxygen vacancy rich ZnO photoanodes

Salih, AK Phillips, MR Ton-That, C

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2023, 259
Issue Date:: 2023-08-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Salih, AK
dc.contributor.author	Phillips, MR
dc.contributor.author	Ton-That, C https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3276-1739
dc.date.accessioned	2024-02-13T01:40:59Z
dc.date.available	2024-02-13T01:40:59Z
dc.date.issued	2023-08-15
dc.identifier.citation	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2023, 259
dc.identifier.issn	0927-0248
dc.identifier.issn	1879-3398
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/175633
dc.description.abstract	This work reports a facile two-step method of producing highly efficient ZnO photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under solar light conditions and describes the role of surface oxygen vacancies (VO) in their enhanced PEC performance. The photoanode fabrication involves post-growth oxidation of a metallic Zn layer, which produces a nanostructured ZnO film consisting of ∼50 nm diameter nanorods containing a high concentration of VO defects. The PEC activity of the ZnO films is investigated by studying water oxidation in an aqueous electrolyte under simulated solar illumination. The relationship of PEC and charge transfer characteristics of the ZnO photoanodes with ionized surface VO defects is established using cathodoluminescence, X-ray photoemission, voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. The combined results show that the photoanode fabricated in this work possesses a high surface density of ionized VO states that facilitate the effective transportation of holes for water oxidation. It is found that the photoanode exhibits an exceptional photocurrent density of 1.14 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, being one of the best performances reported in the literature for ZnO-based photoelectrodes so far. Our results demonstrate a simple, low-cost method for fabricating highly efficient VO rich ZnO-based PEC photoanodes that is suitable for large scale production.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP210101146
dc.relation.ispartof	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112436
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	02 Physical Sciences, 03 Chemical Sciences, 09 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Energy
dc.subject.classification	34 Chemical sciences
dc.subject.classification	40 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	51 Physical sciences
dc.title	Enhanced solar-driven water splitting performance using oxygen vacancy rich ZnO photoanodes
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	259
utslib.for	02 Physical Sciences
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences
utslib.for	09 Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2025-08-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2024-02-13T01:40:57Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	259

Abstract:

This work reports a facile two-step method of producing highly efficient ZnO photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under solar light conditions and describes the role of surface oxygen vacancies (VO) in their enhanced PEC performance. The photoanode fabrication involves post-growth oxidation of a metallic Zn layer, which produces a nanostructured ZnO film consisting of ∼50 nm diameter nanorods containing a high concentration of VO defects. The PEC activity of the ZnO films is investigated by studying water oxidation in an aqueous electrolyte under simulated solar illumination. The relationship of PEC and charge transfer characteristics of the ZnO photoanodes with ionized surface VO defects is established using cathodoluminescence, X-ray photoemission, voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. The combined results show that the photoanode fabricated in this work possesses a high surface density of ionized VO states that facilitate the effective transportation of holes for water oxidation. It is found that the photoanode exhibits an exceptional photocurrent density of 1.14 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, being one of the best performances reported in the literature for ZnO-based photoelectrodes so far. Our results demonstrate a simple, low-cost method for fabricating highly efficient VO rich ZnO-based PEC photoanodes that is suitable for large scale production.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/175633