Abstract

The selenide-based Van der Waals heterojunctions show great potential for the next generation of photoelectronic nanodevices. Herein, we construct a 2D photoanode nanocatalyst that consists of ZnSe nanocrystals with exposed active surfaces coupled with few-layered InSe nanosheets decorated by Au nanoparticles. The resultant ZnSe/AuNPs@InSe multi-heterojunction photoanode demonstrates an outstanding photocurrent density of 4.86 mAcm−2 under AM 1.5 G simulated sunlight (100 mWcm−2), which is 8 times greater than that of the pristine InSe photoanode (0.61 mAcm−2). Moreover, the lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers is extended by a factor of 3. This significant enhancement in photoelectrochemical water splitting in the near-infrared region is attributed to the surface plasmonic effect produced by the modification of Au NPs when bulk InSe is exfoliated into multi-layered flakes. The interfacial coupling effects on carrier transfer dynamics, as revealed by impedance spectroscopy assisted with the First-Principal calculations, show that this photoanode significantly minimizes the internal resistance, boosts the charge carrier separation efficiency, and promotes water oxidation.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.