Effect of Substrates on the Photoelectrochemical Reduction of Water over Cathodically Electrodeposited p-Type Cu2O Thin Films

Shyamal, S and Hajra, P and Mandal, H and Singh, J K and Satpati, A K and Pande, S and Bhattacharya, C (2015) Effect of Substrates on the Photoelectrochemical Reduction of Water over Cathodically Electrodeposited p-Type Cu2O Thin Films. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 7(33) (IF-6.723). pp. 18344-18352.

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Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate development of p-Cu2O thin films through cathodic electrodeposition technique at constant current of 0.1 mA/cm(2) on Cu, Al, and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates from basic CuSO4 solution containing Triton X-100 as the surfactant at 30-35 degrees C. The optical and morphological characterizations of the semiconductors have been carried out using UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The band gap energy of similar to 2.1 eV is recorded, whereas SEM reveals that the surface morphology is covered with Cu2O semiconductors. XRD analyses confirm that with change in substrate, the size of Cu2O "cubic" crystallites decreases from ITO to Al to Cu substrates. Photoelectrochemical characterizations under dark and illuminated conditions have been carried out through linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis. The photoelectrochemical reduction of water (H2O -> H-2) in pH 4.9 aqueous solutions over the different substrates vary in the order of Cu > Al > ITO. The highest current of 4.6 rnA/cm(2) has been recorded over the Cu substrate even at a low illumination of 35 mW/cm(2), which is significantly higher than the values (2.4 mA/cm(2) on Au coated FTO or 4.07 mA/cm(2) on Cu foil substrate at an illumination of 100 mW/cm(2)) reported in literature.

Item Type:Article
Official URL/DOI:http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.5b04116
Uncontrolled Keywords:semiconductor photoelectrochemistiy; cathodic electrodeposition; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; action spectra; ohmic conductivity; photo electrochemical reduction of water
Divisions:Corrosion and Surface Engineering
ID Code:7333
Deposited By:Sahu A K
Deposited On:29 Oct 2015 16:40
Last Modified:29 Oct 2015 16:40
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