Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2024, Vol. 61: 179-191.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60005-7

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Unveiling the multiple effects of MOF-derived TiO2 on Ti-Fe2O3 photoanodes for efficient and stable photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Kaikai Baa, Yuʼnan Liua, Kai Zhanga, Ping Wangb, Yanhong Lina, Dejun Wanga, Ziheng Lic, Tengfeng Xiea,*()   

  1. aCollege of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, Jilin, China
    bKey Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly Material of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Jilin Normal University, Changchun 130103, Jilin, China
    cKey Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, Jilin, China
  • Received:2023-12-20 Accepted:2024-03-11 Online:2024-06-18 Published:2024-06-20
  • Contact: * E-mail: xietf@jlu.edu.cn (T. Xie).
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(22172057);International Cooperation Project of Jilin Scientific and Technological Development Program(20230402061GH)

Abstract:

α-Fe2O3 is a promising photoanode that is limited by its high surface charge recombination and slow water oxidation kinetics. In this study, we synthesized a TiO2 layer on Ti-Fe2O3 by annealing Ti-MOFs, followed by ZIF-67 as a co-catalyst, to fabricate a ZIF-67/TiO2/Ti-Fe2O3 photoanode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The systematic experimental and theoretical results revealed that the improvement in performance was due to multiple effects of the MOF-derived TiO2. This molecule not only passivates the acceptor surface states of Ti-Fe2O3, thereby reducing the number of surface recombination centers, but also acts as an electron barrier to promote charge separation in the Ti-Fe2O3 bulk. Moreover, MOF-derived TiO2 can dramatically reduce the energy barrier for the OER of Ti-Fe2O3, thus promoting the conversion of the intermediate *OH into *O. The synergistic improvement in the bulk and surface properties effectively enhanced the water oxidation performance of Ti-Fe2O3. The ZIF-67/TiO2/Ti-Fe2O3 photoanode exhibits a photocurrent density of up to 4.04 mA cm‒2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 9.4 times as that of pure Ti-Fe2O3, and has long-term stability. Our work provides a feasible strategy for constructing efficient organic-inorganic hybrid photoelectrodes.

Key words: Ti-Fe2O3 photoanode, Charge separation, Porous TiO2, Multiple effects, Water oxidation