Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting of Hydrothermally-Grown ZnO and Yttrium-doped ZnO NR Arrays

Abstract

Undoped and Y doped ZnO nanorods (YZO NRs) were prepared by hydrothermal method. The as-prepared ZnO and YZO NRs with different Y/Zn molar ratios were used as anodes for electrochemical water splitting. Then, photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting performances of YZO NRs were tested. When compared with pristine ZnO NRs, the photocurrent density generated with yttrium doped zinc oxide NR as electrode was higher(1.2 mA cm-2) than that obtained with pristine ZnO NRs (0.25 mA cm-2), at 0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl using samples of 1.2 mol % of yttrium. This performance corresponds to calculated photo-conversion efficiency of 0.40%, at a low potential (-0.38V vs Ag/AgCl) of the non-doped ZnO NR film.