Boosting the Solar Water Oxidation Performance of Fe2O3 Photoanode via Embedding Laser-Generated Pt Nanocrystals

Abstract

α-Fe2O3 with suitable band structure, good chemical stability, and easy preparation, is a potential photoanode material. However, the key to enhance the performance of α-Fe2O3 photoanode is to improve the transport characteristics of bulk carriers. It is expected to form a Schottky barrier to improve the carrier separation efficiency by embedding metal nanoparticles into the matrix, but the process is still challenging. Herein, a strategy of forming the Schottky barrier is shown to improve bulk carrier transport dynamics by embedding laser-generated Pt nanocrystals in α-Fe2O3 photoanode, which achieves photocurrent densities of up to 1.16 mA cm−2 at 1.23 VRHE (from original 0.21 mA cm−2). This work provides another way to promote the carrier transfer and separation of α-Fe2O3, which is of great significance to improve the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.