Systematic Material Study Reveals TiNb2O7 as a Model Wide-Bandgap Photoanode Material for Solar Water Splitting |
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| Authors: | Eric W Burns Dr Daniele Pergolesi Prof Dr Thomas J Schmidt Prof Dr Dr Thomas Lippert Dr Venkateswarlu Daramalla |
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| Institution: | 1. Laboratory of Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland;2. Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | This work reveals that photoanodes based on TiNb2O7 (TNO) powder show remarkable water-oxidation properties including nearly ideal charge-transfer and charge-injection efficiencies. Furthermore, using a simplified photoanode construction and carefully surveying the structural and morphological characteristics of oriented and polycrystalline thin films and powder-based samples revealed that the water-splitting kinetics of TNO is negligibly effected by surface morphology; instead, internal grain boundaries likely play a driving role. The current powder-based TNO photoanodes exhibit ideal water-oxidation kinetics and oxidize water at minimal applied biases under illumination; consequently, TNO exhibits an early onset photocurrent voltage (0.4 V vs. RHE) that rivals that of other state-of-the-art photoanode materials. |
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| Keywords: | photochemistry pulsed laser deposition electrochemistry thin films water splitting |
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