Covering α-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> protection layer on the surface of p-Si micropillar array for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

doi:10.1007/s11783-017-0957-z

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2017, Vol. 11

Issue (6) : 13 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-017-0957-z

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Covering α-Fe₂O₃ protection layer on the surface of p-Si micropillar array for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

Jing Gu, Hongtao Yu, Xie Quan(

), Shuo Chen

Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

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Abstract

SiMP/α-Fe₂O₃ improved photoeletrochemical stability of Si.

Optical absorption and photocurrent density of SiMP/α-Fe₂O₃ improved 2 and 4 times.

Enhanced photogenerated charge separation derived from built-in electric field.

Few papers with respect to the α-Fe₂O₃-covering-Si photocathode had been published.

The spontaneous oxidation process of pristine silicon (Si) limits its application as photocatalyst or electrode in aqueous solution or moist air. Covering a protection layer on Si surface is an effective approach to overcome this disadvantage. In this paper, α-Fe₂O₃ is demonstrated to be an excellent alternative as a protection material. α-Fe₂O₃ layer was deposited around each p-type Si micropillar (SiMP) in well-ordered array by chemical bath deposition method. The diameter of SiMP was 5 mm and the thickness of α-Fe₂O₃ layer was about 20 nm. The photoeletrochemical stability of SiMP/α-Fe₂O₃ was proved by 10 circles cyclic voltammetry testing. Compared with SiMP, its optical absorption and photocurrent density improved 2 times and 4 times, respectively, and its onset potential for hydrogen evolution moved positively about 0.4 V. These improved performances could be ascribed to the enhanced photogenerated-charge-separation efficiency deriving from built-in electric field at the interface between Si and α-Fe₂O₃. The above results show an effective strategy to utilize Si material as photocatalyst or electrode in aqueous solution or moist air.

Keywords Si α-Fe₂O₃ Photoelectrochemistry Photogenerated charge separation

Corresponding Author(s): Xie Quan

Issue Date: 16 June 2017

Cite this article:

Jing Gu,Hongtao Yu,Xie Quan, et al. Covering α-Fe₂O₃ protection layer on the surface of p-Si micropillar array for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2017, 11(6): 13.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-017-0957-z
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2017/V11/I6/13

Fig.1 Schematic illustration of the SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃ construction

Fig.2 SEM images of SiMP (a, b) and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃ obtained with different concentrations of iron nitrate solution(c, d 0.005 mol·L^-¹, e, f 0.01 mol·L^-¹, g, h 0.02 mol·L^-¹, i, j 0.04 mol·L^-¹) and EDS images of SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃-0.01 mol·L^-¹ (k)

Fig.3 XRD pattern of a-Fe₂O₃ (a) and HRTEM image of SiMP (b) and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃-0.01 mol·L^-¹ (c) taken from the area as marked in the larger scale image inset of them

Fig.4 XPS pattern of SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃ (a. survey spectrum, b. high-resolution XPS spectra for Fe 2p) and DRS pattern of SiMP, SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃-0.01 mol·L^-¹ and a-Fe₂O₃ powder (c)

Fig.5 Photocurrent versus potential curves of the SiMP and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃ samples obtained with different iron nitrate concentration ((a) 0.005 mol·L^-¹, (b) 0.01 mol·L^-¹, (c) 0.02 mol·L^-¹)

Fig.6 Cyclic voltammetry curves of the SiMP and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃samples (a) and the magnified part of SiMP, SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃-0.005 mol·L^-¹ and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃-0.02 mol·L^-¹ (b)

Fig.7 Positions of energy bands and bending directions at the junction

Fig.8 OCV curves of the SiMP, a-Fe₂O₃ and SiMP/a-Fe₂O₃ samples (a) and the magnified part of the a-Fe₂O₃ sample (b)

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