Abstract
This paper focuses on the enhancement of photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of uniform silver nanoparticles-decorated ZnO (Ag@ZnO) nanowires, which have been synthesized by two-step chemical vapor deposition to prepare ZnO nanowires then magnetron sputtering method to deposit Ag nanoparticles. Moreover, we analyzed the mechanisms of the PEC behavior of the Ag@ZnO nanowires. The PEC characteristics show that the current density of Ag@ZnO nanowires increased comparing to that of unmodified ZnO nanowires. The optimized content of the Ag-decorated ZnO photoelectrode is up to the maximum photocurrent density of 24.8 μAcm-2at 1 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which was almost four times than that of the unmodified ZnO photoelectrode. Based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR), effect of Ag nanoparticles was enhanced PEC performance of the Ag@ZnO nanowires. Because SPR effect of Ag nanoparticles extended the light absorption and enhanced the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The remarkable PEC properties offer metals-semiconductor compound nanostructures materials as a promising electron source for high current density applications.
Highlights
As always, zinc oxide (ZnO) materials have been studied continuously by many researchers because of its advantages of excellent characteristics and excellent features and wide range of applications [1–15]
Ag@ZnO nanowires exhibit excellent PEC performance compared to unmodified ZnO nanowires, which are likely to be the potential applications in photoelectric devices
Our results indicate that the ZnO nanowires are highly crystalline with a lattice fringe of 0.28 nm, which corresponds to the (0002) planes in the ZnO crystal lattice
Summary
Zinc oxide (ZnO) materials have been studied continuously by many researchers because of its advantages of excellent characteristics and excellent features and wide range of applications [1–15]. To improve its electrical and optical properties, ZnO is generally doped or decorated with group various elements. Doped ZnO materials are promising candidates as conductors with high transparency in the visible light range and high conductivity [16, 17]. The conductivity, ferromagnetic, and transparency properties of doped ZnO materials have been increased in terms of present reports [18–22]. Decorated ZnO materials are promising candidates as conductors with the absorption of visible light being enhanced and the combination of photogenerated electron-holes being suppressed [23, 24]. The noble metaldecorated semiconductor nanomaterials increased the photon absorption rate of the photoanode and improved the photoactivity because the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of metal nanoparticles induced electric field application near the oxide semiconductor surface [46]. Are many articles reporting physical properties of silver nanoparticle-decorated ZnO with different nanostructure [47–53]. Ag@ZnO nanowires exhibit excellent PEC performance compared to unmodified ZnO nanowires, which are likely to be the potential applications in photoelectric devices
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