Nano-engineering of p–n CuFeO2-ZnO heterojunction photoanode with improved light absorption and charge collection for photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Abstract

The effective utilization of abundant visible solar light for photoelectrochemical water splitting is a green approach for energy harvesting, to reduce the enormous rise of carbon content in the atmosphere. Here, a novel efficient design strategy for p–n type nano-heterojunction photoanodes is demonstrated, with the goal of improving water splitting efficiency by growing low band gap p-CuFeO2 nanolayers on n-ZnO nanorods by an easy and scalable electrochemical route. The photoconversion efficiency of p–n CuFeO2/ZnO photoanodes is found to be ∼450% higher than that of pristine ZnO nanorod electrodes under visible solar light illumination (λ > 420 nm, intensity 10 mW cm−2). The p–n CuFeO2/ZnO nano-engineering not only boosts the visible light absorption but also resolves limitations regarding effective charge carrier separation and transportation due to interfacial band alignment. This photoanode also shows remarkably enhanced stability, where the formation of p–n nano-heterojunction enhances the easy migration of holes to the electrode/electrolyte interface, and of electrons to the counter electrode (Pt) for hydrogen generation. Therefore, this work demonstrates that p–n nano-engineering is a potential strategy to design light-harvesting electrodes for water splitting and clean energy generation.