We report the production of antimony (Sb5+) doped hematite photoanodes by a simple ex situ method. The Sb5+ dopant acts as effective electron donor, reduces recombination effects and improves the surface wettability. In addition, the presence of Sb5+ states in Sb-doped Fe2O3 photoanodes exhibit a 10-fold increase in carrier concentration and decreased photoanode/electrolyte charge transfer resistance. A. Annamalai, R. Sandström, E. Gracia-Espino, N. Boulanger, J.-F. Boily, I. Mühlbacher, A. Shchukarev, T. Wågberg. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b02147 AbstractTo exploit the full potential of hematite (α-Fe2O3) as an efficient photoanode for water oxidation, the redox processes occurring at the Fe2O3/electrolyte interface need to be studied in greater detail. Ex situ doping is an excellent technique to introduce dopants onto the photoanode surface and to modify the photoanode/electrolyte interface. In this context, we selected antimony (Sb5+) as the ex situ dopant because it is an effective electron donor and reduces recombination effects and concurrently utilize the possibility to tuning the surface charge and wettability. In the presence of Sb5+ states in Sb-doped Fe2O3 photoanodes, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we observed a 10-fold increase in carrier concentration (1.1 × 1020 vs 1.3 × 1019 cm–3) and decreased photoanode/electrolyte charge transfer resistance (∼990 vs ∼3700 Ω). Furthermore, a broad range of surface characterization techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ζ-potential, and contact angle measurements reveal that changes in the surface hydroxyl groups following the ex situ doping also have an effect on the water splitting capability. Theoretical calculations suggest that Sb5+ can activate multiple Fe3+ ions simultaneously, in addition to increasing the surface charge and enhancing the electron/hole transport properties. To a greater extent, the Sb5+- surface-doped determines the interfacial properties of electrochemical charge transfer, leading to an efficient water oxidation mechanism.
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We produced yttria-stabilized platinum nanoparticles (Pt3YOy) using a microwave assisted synthesis process for ORR. The robustness of PtxYOy is shown experimentally and through theoretical arguments demonstrating that surface yttria acts as an stabilizing agent and promoter of highly active ORR sites on the remaining Pt surface, surpassing even the Pt3Y alloy configuration. Robin Sandström, Eduardo Gracia-Espino, Guangzhi Hu, Andrey Shchukarev, Jingyuan Ma, Thomas Wågberg. Nano Energy 46 (2018) 141-149 DOI:10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.01.038 AbstractThe enhancement of platinum (Pt) based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) by addition of rare earth metals represents a promising strategy to achieve high activity yet low content of the precious metal and concurrently addresses stability issues experienced by traditional late transition metal doping. Improvement in Pt utilization is essential for vehicular applications where material cost and abundancy is a great concern. Here we report a fast and efficient production route of yttria-stabilized platinum nanoparticles (PtxYOy) using a conventional household microwave oven. ORR performance showed a significant improvement and an optimum activity at a 3:1 Pt:Y ratio outperforming that of commercial Pt-Vulcan with a doubled specific activity. Incorporation of Y is evidenced by extended X-ray absorption fine structure and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, while significant amounts of integrated Y2O3 species are detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculations suggest surface migration and oxidation of Y, forming stable superficial yttrium oxide species with low negative enthalpies of formation. The robustness of PtxYOy is shown experimentally and through theoretical arguments demonstrating that surface yttria acts as an stabilizing agent and promoter of highly active ORR sites on the remaining Pt surface, surpassing even the Pt3Y alloy configuration.
We created Fe vacancies as an approach to modulate the electronic structure and catalytic activity of iron phosphide (FeP). The Fe-vacancy-rich FeP nanoparticulate films showed excellent HER activity achieving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at overpotentials of 108 mV in 1 M KOH, and 65 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4. This work was carried out in collaboration with Prof. Messinger (Uppsala University). W. L. Kwong, E. Gracia-Espino, C. C. Lee, R. Sandström, T. Wågberg, and J. Messinger. ChemSusChem (2017) DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201701565 AbstractEngineering the electronic properties of transition metal phosphides has shown great effectiveness in improving their intrinsic catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water splitting applications. Herein, we report for the first time, the creation of Fe vacancies as an approach to modulate the electronic structure of iron phosphide (FeP). The Fe vacancies were produced via chemical leaching of Mg that was introduced into FeP as 'sacrificial dopant'. The obtained Fe-vacancy-rich FeP nanoparticulate films, which were deposited on Ti foil, shows excellent HER activity as compared to pristine FeP and Mg-doped FeP, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at overpotentials of 108 mV in 1 M KOH and 65 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4, with a near-100% Faradaic efficiency. Our theoretical and experimental analyses reveal that the improved HER activity originates from the presence of Fe vacancies, which lead to a synergistic modulation of the structural and electronic properties that result in a near optimal hydrogen adsorption free energy and enhanced proton trapping. The success in catalytic improvement via the introduction of cationic vacancy defects has not only demonstrated the potential of Fe-vacancy-rich FeP as highly efficient, earth abundant HER catalyst, but also opened up an exciting pathway for activating other promising catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.
This time the influence of tetravalent dopants such as Si4+, Sn4+, Ti4+, and Zr4+ on hematite nanostructure for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting is reported. The photoactivity of the doped photoanodes at 1.23 V RHE follows the order Zr > Sn > Ti > Si. The work was performed in collaboration with Prof. Jum Suk Jang (Chonbuk National University, Korea), and the results are published in the journal of Applied Surface Science. A. Subramanian, E. Gracia-Espino, A. Annamalai, H. H. Lee, S Y. Lee, S. H. Choi, and J. S. Jang. Applied Surface Science (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.09.042 Abstract In this paper, the influence of tetravalent dopants such as Si4+, Sn4+, Ti4+, and Zr4+ on the hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanostructure for enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting are reported. The tetravalent doping was performed on hydrothermally grown akaganeite (β-FeOOH) nanorods on FTO (fluorine-doped tin-oxide) substrates via a simple dipping method for which the respective metal-precursor solution was used, followed by a high-temperature (800° C) sintering in a box furnace. The photocurrent density for the pristine (hematite) photoanode is ∼0.81 mA/cm2 at 1.23 VRHE, with an onset potential of 0.72 VRHE; however, the tetravalent dopants on the hematite nanostructures alter the properties of the pristine photoanode. The Si4+-doped hematite photoanode showed a slight photocurrent increment without a changing of the onset potential of the pristine photoanode. The Sn4+- and Ti4+-doped hematite photoanodes, however, showed an anodic shift of the onset potential with the photocurrent increment at a higher applied potential. Interestingly, the Zr4+-doped hematite photoanode exhibited an onset potential that is similar to those of the pristine and Si4+-doped hematite, but a larger photocurrent density that is similar to those of the Sn4+- and Ti4+-doped photoanodes was recorded. The photoactivity of the doped photoanodes at 1.23 VRHE follows the order Zr > Sn > Ti > Si. The onset-potential shifts of the doped photoanodes were investigated using the Ab initio calculations that are well correlated with the experimental data. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning-electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that both the crystalline phase of the hematite and the nanorod morphology were preserved after the doping procedure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of the tetravalent dopants on the hematite nanostructure. The charge-transfer resistance at the various interfaces of the doped photoanodes was studied using impedance spectroscopy. The doping on the hematite photoanodes was confirmed using the Mott-Schottky (MS) analysis.
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