Cubic SiC Photoanode Coupling with Ni:FeOOH Oxygen-Evolution Cocatalyst for Sustainable Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

• As an efficient water oxidation cocatalyst, the Earth-abundant nickel-iron oxyhydroxide (Ni:FeOOH) is introduced to coat on the cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) photoanode surface for improving the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performance. The FeOOH is prepared on the 3C-SiC photoanode surface by hydrothermal deposition, followed by a photoassisted electrodeposition of NiOOH. It is shown that the Ni:FeOOH layer is composed of the beta-FeOOH nanorods with a conformal coating of the amorphous NiOOH. Under AM1.5G 100 mW cm(-2) illumination, the 3C-SiC/Ni:FeOOH photoanode exhibits a very low onset potential of 0.2 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (V-RHE) and a high photocurrent density of 1.15 mA cm(-2) at 1.23 V-RHE, distinctly outperforming the 3C-SiC and the 3C-SiC/FeOOH counterparts. Open-circuit potential and impedance spectroscopy results demonstrate that the nanostructured Ni:FeOOH layer on the 3C-SiC surface increases the photovoltage and promotes the charge transfer toward the electrolyte, thus significantly improving the PEC water-splitting performance. These results provide new insights for the development of photoanodes toward efficient solar-fuel generation.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Annan kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Other Chemistry Topics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

cubic silicon carbide; hydrothermal deposition; iron-nickel oxyhydroxide; photoanodes; photoelectrochemical water splitting

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)