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Engineering of cobalt oxide-integrated nitric acid-functionalized Zr-Fe2O3 nanocoral photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting

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Abstract

A strategy involving CoOx catalyst adsorption and acid treatment for modifying the surface properties of Zr-doped hematite nanocoral (NC) photoanodes has been proposed. Acid-treated Zr-Fe2O3 NCs exhibited a reduced electrode/electrolyte interface resistance and improved surface charge-injection efficiency. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data confirmed an increased number of hydroxy groups and the formation of Fe2+ sites on the surface of the acid-treated Zr-Fe2O3 NC, suggesting surface amendment. Furthermore, after surface amendment with a 1 mM Co(OAc)2 solution, the CoOx encapsulated acid-treated Zr-Fe2O3 NC photoanode exhibited a photocurrent density of 1.83 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, following a 200-mV cathodic shift in the photocurrent onset compared with the bare Zr-Fe2O3 NC. The experimental results indicated the efficacy of acid treatment and CoOx adsorption for reducing the surface state and enhancing the photoelectrochemical water-oxidation performance. The acid-treatment step in the CoOx-encapsulated acid-treated Zr-Fe2O3 NC provided a CoOx catalyst adsorption bond and permitted the kinetics of the charge-transfer process. This synergistic strategy of acid treatment and CoOx adsorption for enhancing the PEC performance provides a reference for accelerating the charge separation for other photoelectrodes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the BK21 plus program and a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2019R1A2C1006402). It was also supported by the Brain Pool Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2017H1D3A1A02014020). Also. this research was supported by Research Base Construction Fund Support Program funded by Chonbuk National University in 2020.

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Correspondence to Mahadeo Abasaheb Mahadik or Jum Suk Jang.

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Engineering of cobalt oxide-integrated nitric acid-functionalized Zr-Fe2O3 nanocoral photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting

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Hwang, J.B., Kim, S., Chae, WS. et al. Engineering of cobalt oxide-integrated nitric acid-functionalized Zr-Fe2O3 nanocoral photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 38, 1149–1160 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-021-0750-3

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