Abstract
AbstractPerovskite oxides are receiving wide interest for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical devices, owing to their suitable band gaps for solar light absorption and stability in aqueous applications. Herein, we assess the activity of PrFeO3 photocathodes prepared by using spray pyrolysis and calcination temperatures between 500 and 700 °C. Scanning electron microscopy shows corrugated films of high surface coverage on the conductive glass substrate. The electrochemically active surface area shows slight decreases with temperature increases from 500 to 600 and 700 °C. However, transient photocurrent responses and impedance spectroscopy data showed that films calcined at higher temperatures reduced the probabilities of recombination due to trap states, resulting in faster rates of charge extraction. In this trade‐off, a calcination temperature of 600 °C provided a maximum photocurrent of ‐130±4 μA cm−2 at +0.43 VRHE under simulated sunlight, with an incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency of 6.6 % at +0.61 VRHE and 350 nm and an onset potential of +1.4 VRHE for cathodic photocurrent.
Highlights
°C provided a maximum photocurrent of -130 4 μA cm 2 at + 0.43 VRHE under simulated sunlight, with an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 6.6 % at + 0.61 VRHE
CH3NH3PbI3 xClx.) have been especially popular in the field of solid-state solar cells where their use is widespread.[18]. They fall short in their application for water splitting due to inherent instabilities in water, work has been done to combat this.[19,20]
We have reviewed the use of different perovskite oxides for photocatalytic and PEC applications.[23]
Summary
RC limited transients revealed that higher calcination temperatures of 600 and 700 °C showed faster rates of charge separation than that of 500 °C This can assist in enhancing contact between the metal oxide particles and the conductive back contact of the substrate. This process reduces the number of heating steps and minimizes opportunities for particle sintering and loss of surface area This method was chosen to fabricate PFO films through depositing a solution of iron and praseodymium nitrates with citric acid in water onto aluminoborosilicate glass coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO-ABS), using spray pyrolysis, and subsequently calcining at 500, 600 and °C to form films PFO_500 °C, PFO_600 °C and PFO_700 °C.
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