Abstract
This paper describes an easy and time-saving strategy for the fabrication of heterogeneous nanotubular arrays of TiO2-CdS (TCHNTAs) on transparent conductive glass (FTO) and their photoelectrochemical properties. The use of transparent FTO instead of opaque Ti substrate allows incident light from the substrate side. The anodized TiO2 nanotubular arrays were firstly detached from Ti substrate by anodization under a high voltage of 120 V and then transferred to FTO substrate using TiO2 (P25) paste as a binder, followed by sensitization with CdS nanoparticles. After optimizing the deposition cycles of CdS nanoparticles, the TCHNTAs on FTO substrate demonstrated an enhanced photocurrent density in the Na2S/Na2SO3 electrolyte under front-side illumination from the FTO side, which improved by ∼ 21% when compared with the photocurrent density under back-side illumination from the TiO2-CdS side. This improvement in photoelectrochemical properties can be ascribed to the reduced charge recombination on the interface between the TiO2 nanotubes and the CdS nanoparticles under front-side illumination. Our strategy for nanotubular transfer on transparent substrate may extend the applications of TiO2 nanotubular arrays into other fields, such as dye-sensitized solar cells, photochromism and photocatalysis.
Highlights
Since the discovery of the Fujishima-Honda effect in 1972, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been used as a typical photo‐ electrode in water photoelectrolysis to convert solar energy for the production of H2.[1-3]
Coupling TiO2 nanotubular arrays with a lowband-gap semiconductor of CdS nanoparticles to form heterogeneous nanotubular arrays of TiO2-CdS (TCHNTAs) has been adopted as a method to extend the photoelectrochemical activity from UV to visible light. [13-26] Traditionally, it is understood that TCHNTAs on the opaque Ti substrate can only be illuminated from the photoactive TiO2-CdS layer, which limits their photoelec‐ trochemical activity.[13-22]
Our results indicate that TCHNTAs on FTO substrate demonstrate an enhanced photocurrent density in the Na2S/Na2SO3 electrolyte under front-side (FS) illumination from the FTO side, which is improved by ~ 21% when compared with the density under back-side (BS) illumina‐ tion from the TiO2-CdS side
Summary
Since the discovery of the Fujishima-Honda effect in 1972, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been used as a typical photo‐ electrode in water photoelectrolysis to convert solar energy for the production of H2.[1-3]. Bai et al fabricated TCHNTAs on transparent substrate using anodized Ti film on FTO by sputtering. [23] Guan et al fabricated TCHNTAs using selfstanding TiO2 nanotubular arrays, which were formed by a low-voltage anodization (for 3-7 h) and H2O2 dissolution (for 2 h). [24] Liou et al reported TCHNTAs using selfstanding TiO2 nanotubular arrays formed by immersing anodized TiO2 nanotubes on Ti metal in H2O2. We describe an easy and time-saving strategy to fabricate TCHNTAs on transparent FTO substrate. The anodized TiO2 nanotubular arrays are detached from Ti substrate by anodization under a high voltage and transferred to FTO substrate using TiO2 (P25) paste as a binder, followed by sensitization with CdS nanoparticles. Our results indicate that TCHNTAs on FTO substrate demonstrate an enhanced photocurrent density in the Na2S/Na2SO3 electrolyte under front-side (FS) illumination from the FTO side, which is improved by ~ 21% when compared with the density under back-side (BS) illumina‐ tion from the TiO2-CdS side
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