Titanium doped nanoporous hematite photoanode modified with NiFeCoAlOOH nanoparticles for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Abstract

Herein, we present the decoration of NiFeCoAlOOH nanoparticles onto titanium doped nanoporous hematite (Ti-PH) utilizing a simple electroless ligand-controlled oxidation method for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Owing to the improved oxygen evolution reaction kinetics and reduced charge transfer resistance, the resulting Ti-PH/NiFeCoAlOOH photoanode presents an excellent photocurrent density of 2.46 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE and good stability compared to Ti-PH or bare hematite. Furthermore, the onset potential of the photocurrent density is shifted cathodically by ∼60 mV with reference to the titanium doped nanoporous hematite. This work offers a promising method for designing high-performance, stable, and inexpensive catalysts for photoelectrochemical applications.