Influence of C 3 N 4 Precursors on Photoelectrochemical Behavior of TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 Photoanode for Solar Water Oxidation

Swetha S. M. Bhat, Sang Eon Jun, Sol A Lee, Tae Hyung Lee and Ho Won Jang
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Swetha S. M. Bhat: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Sang Eon Jun: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Sol A Lee: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Tae Hyung Lee: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Ho Won Jang: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical water splitting is considered as a long-term solution for the ever-increasing energy demands. Various strategies have been employed to improve the traditional TiO 2 photoanode. In this study, TiO 2 nanorods were decorated by graphitic carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) derived from different precursors such as thiourea, melamine, and a mixture of thiourea and melamine. Photoelectrochemical activity of TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 photoanode can be modified by tuning the number of precursors used to synthesize C 3 N 4 . C 3 N 4 derived from the mixture of melamine and thiourea in TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 photoanode showed photocurrent density as high as 2.74 mA/cm 2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE. C 3 N 4 synthesized by thiourea showed particle-like morphology, while melamine and melamine with thiourea derived C 3 N 4 yielded two dimensional (2D) nanosheets. Nanosheet-like C 3 N 4 showed higher photoelectrochemical performance than that of particle-like nanostructures as specific surface area, and the redox ability of nanosheets are believed to be superior to particle-like nanostructures. TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 displayed excellent photostability up to 20 h under continuous illumination. Thiourea plays an important role in enhancing the photoelectrochemical performance of TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 . This study emphasizes the fact that the improved photoelectrochemical performance can be achieved by varying the precursors of C 3 N 4 in TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 heterojunction. This is the first report to show the influence of C 3 N 4 precursors on photoelectrochemical performance in TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 systems. This would pave the way to explore different precursors influence on C 3 N 4 with respect to the photoelectrochemical response of TiO 2 /C 3 N 4 heterojunction photoanode.

Keywords: photoelectrochemical; TiO 2; C 3 N 4; heterojunction; water oxidation; photoanode; nanosheets; nanorods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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